Health insurance companies have been under intense scrutiny as of late for their rates. On Thursday, insurance regulators finalized their recommendations for what percentage of of money should go towards patient care.

Now, the rules are set to go to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Under reform, insurers will be required to spend at least 80 percent on medical care next year.

Companies are fighting for the broadest possible definition of direct health care, whereas consumer groups have been urging for less leniency on terms.

Consumer Watchdog Washington DC director Carmen Balber says that while it's good regulators aren't backing down, a cap still needs to be put in place .

"The law still does nothing to cap rates and consumers are struggling to pay double-digit premium increases now," says Balber. "President Obama should forbid premium hikes until insurance companies comply with pricing provisions of the new federal law and explain increases before they take effect."

In addition to regulating how much money insurers must spend on care, reform will also require most people to have health insurance coverage in the future. People can obtain insurance through an employer or purchase an individual health insurance plan.

Several provisions of the Affordable Care Act are being implemented this year. This could result in some changes being made to a person's benefits. That is why communications and consulting firm HighRoads is urging employees to take an extra look at their health insurance plan during open enrollment.

HighRoads CEO Michael Byers says most people don't take the time to consider any changes to their plan.

"This year more than ever is the year for employees to pay closer attention to plan materials or face the prospect of unanticipated costs or reduced benefits," says Byers. "Some new changes may be costly, even dramatic, and every employee should arm themselves with information."

HighRoads recommends people review what they've spent on co-pay's and other medical expenses and compare them the benefits being offered. As needs change, some plans may offer more financial benefits than others.

People who can't obtain health insurance through an employer, should consider purchasing an individual or family health insurance plan. The coverage can prove invaluable in the event of a major sickness or accident.

Anyone who has searched for affordable health insurance quotes knows that premiums can vary depending on plane type and company. Rates can also fluctuate based on new government regulation.

The New York State Insurance Department recently made public how they have been working to keep premiums down. Laws require health insurance companies to submit a formal request of approval before they can go into effect. Before the regulation was in place, insurers simply had to file rates and then use them.

New York Department of Insurance superintendent James Wrynn says proposed rate increases have been reduced because of prior approval.

"We certainly are not happy with even the reduced increases, and we will keep working to keep costs down," says Wrynn. "But at least we could make sure these increases were justified by the rising cost of health care in New York. We reduced every rate increase request that we found excessive or unreasonable."

Data from Families USA shows other states have also shown success with prior approval. In Indiana, for example, officials say they get health insurance companies to lower increases half the time.

Staying in good health is important for leading a long and productive life. However, some people don't get the medical care they need for one reason or another.

The Hawaii State Department of Health recently released its findings from a survey of the state's children and their healthcare. The report looked at differences in relation insurance status, among other things.

Just under 4 percent of the children in Hawaii lack health insurance, compared to slightly over 9 percent nationwide.

"While Hawaii's children fair well compared to the rest of the nation, there is much that can be done to improve access and availability of services, and to develop strategies to eliminate cultural and community disparities," says director of health Dr. Chiyome Fukino.

Furthermore, the research revealed 80 percent of children with health insurance received preventative care services compared to 66 percent of children without coverage.

There are a number of resources people can turn to in order to obtain coverage. People can purchase individual health insurance plans or seek government assistance if a policy can't be obtained through an employer.