Some people don't go to the doctor's office as often as they should because they lack group or individual health insurance. Recent research shows that a number of men avoided the doctor because they were either uninsured or simply didn't feel a trip was needed.

A survey by the American Osteopathic Association found that less than 63 percent of men between the ages of 18 and 29 have seen a primary care physician within the past year, compared to more than 85 percent of men older than 60.

AOA trustee Joseph Giaimo says it's important for men of all ages to see their doctor on a regular basis.

"While older men may have more reasons to see a physician, younger, healthy men who wait too long between routine physicals and who pass on screenings, such as blood pressure or diabetes, miss the opportunity to detect precursors to heart disease and other illnesses," says Giaimo.

Conditions, such as diabetes, can even be cured once detected and lifestyle changes are made. Eating a proper diet is one thing people can do to help avoid developing that condition.

The restaurant industry employs a large number of part-time employees. In some cases a limited medical plan, or mini-med plan, is extended to the staff. Those plans may no longer be available by some companies because of costs.

Under healthcare reform, companies will be required to pay for 80 to 85 percent of premiums, which may be more than some financially strapped restaurants can afford. According to a survey by the Hay Group and the Chain Restaurant Compensation Association, 54 percent of employers are considering dropping the mini-med plans.

Recently, McDonalds made headlines for voicing its concerns over being able to offer the plans to their employees.

Hay Group principal John Hennessy says reform may negatively impact some people's access to affordable care.

"Limited medical plans offer low-cost coverage to part-time and full-time hourly workers who otherwise might not be able to afford coverage at all," says Hennessy. "However, employees' access to limited medical plans may be in danger with healthcare reform mandates on the horizon, as the coverage is unlikely to meet the minimum standards of acceptable coverage."

Those who find they can no longer obtain coverage at work can look into individual health insurance plans.

One of the best ways to treat a condition may be to prevent it from happening altogether. In addition to living a healthy lifestyle, it's also important for people to get preventative care.

Consumers and the medical industry can save a large sum of money by not having to treat patients for conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, for example.

According to a study that looked at those who participated in the U.S. Preventative Medicine Prevention Plan, 64 percent were able to lower their health risk status.

U.S. Preventive Medicine vice chairman Dr. Ronald Loeppke says too many people are falling victim to conditions that can be avoided.

"More and more Americans today are succumbing to preventable lifestyle risks that erode the quality and length of their life and this trend will create a tsunami of increased utilization of medical services, flooding our healthcare system and leaving an overwhelming economic burden on our society," says Loeppke.

Reducing healthcare costs may make it easier for people to find affordable health insurance quotes, experts say, due to expenses being less overall.

It doesn't come as a surprise to many people that healthcare costs are expected to rise next year. Most people have seen the amount of money they've been contributing towards insurance coverage take more from their paycheck. What may be new information for consumers, however, is how much premiums are set to rise.

The Milliman Group Health Insurance Survey reveals that the estimated increase for health maintenance organizations is more than 10 percent and nearly 12 percent for preferred provider organizations.

Some attribute the rate increases to healthcare reform. There are a number of new provisions the legislation brings, including requiring most people to have health insurance as well as prohibiting insurers from denying coverage based on medical history.

The survey found that many insurers plan to implement quality incentive programs as well as participate in the health insurance exchanges in 2014.

There are people who have managed to reduce the amount they spend on care. Flexible spending accounts, for example, allow people to set money aside tax-free and use the funds towards medical expenses. Consumers can also look for affordable health insurance quotes online to see if there are more cost-effective plans available.

While finding affordable health insurance quotes and overall healthcare costs are frequently discussed, there is another important component to the medical industry - service. Providing quality care can impact the success of a doctor's practice in addition to one's well-being.

The American Medical Association is teaming up with Press Ganey Associates to help doctors obtain feedback from their patients. The program, RealTime, collects data so physicians can learn how to better serve customers. The report shows trends and comparisons without identifying a specific patient.

Press Ganey vice president of medical services Patricia Riskind says the data can be utilized to yield positive results.

"Electronic surveys are proven to work, and the results are empowering," says Riskind. "We help physician practices overcome one of the greatest obstacles to improving satisfaction and loyalty - the lack of actionable results."

Improving service and care will affect a number of patients. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2009 National Health Interview Survey says more than 80 percent of adults and more than 90 percent of children had contact with a healthcare employee in the U.S.