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.

The unemployed have few options for obtaining health coverage. Some people opt to purchase an individual health insurance policy while others may qualify for coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act if they experienced a job loss.

Given the high volume of people being laid off and who have been out of work for extended periods of time, COBRA subsidies have been made available by the government to help cover costs. Data from research institute EBRI says that not as many people benefited from the subsidies as initially thought.

EBRI health research and education program director Paul Fronstin says it's difficult to gage how many have taken advantage of the subsidy offering.

"The COBRA subsidies that became available in April 2009 do appear to have had an impact on the percentage of nonworkers with coverage through a former employer," says Fronstin. "But they appear to have assisted far fewer than the originally estimated seven million individuals."

A number of Americans continue to struggle to find work. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics says the unemployment rate is nearly 10 percent, where it has been for the past year.

A number of employers are bracing themselves for increased healthcare expenses under the Affordable Care Act. HCTrends conducted the Greater Milwaukee 2011 Health Plan Renewal Survey last month to obtain insight as to how the state's employers are reacting to the new regulations.

The survey found that nearly 30 percent of respondents anticipate a renewal health insurance rate increase of 15 percent. However, the average expected rate increase hovers around 8 percent to 10 percent.

The increase in plan rates may have some people who work for small employers looking for individual health insurance plans in 2014. The survey results found that more than a quarter of employers with fewer than 20 employees and almost 20 percent of employers with fewer than 100 employees may stop offering health insurance benefits in the future.

To help cover costs, the government does offer a Small Business Health Care Tax Credit to small businesses in order to help them provide health insurance benefits to their staff. The credit is extended to employers with fewer than 25 full-time employees with an average annual salary of less than $50,000.

Research from the National Committee for Quality Assurance shows that the number of children receiving vaccinations is declining. However, there appears to be a disparity between vaccination rates and the type of insurance coverage a child has.

Children who were covered through an individual health insurance plan or private company were less likely to receive vaccinations than those who are on Medicaid. The NCQA says vaccination rates in those children decreased by 4 percent compared to those with commercial plans last year.

NCQA president Margaret O'Kane says vaccines can provide children with important protection against many diseases.

"The drop in childhood vaccinations is disturbing because parents are rejecting valuable treatment based on misinformation," says O'Kane. "All of us in healthcare need to work together to get better information to the public."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that it's important for children to receive vaccinations because their immune systems may not be strong enough to fight off some diseases. Furthermore, the CDC says immunizations help slow down and even prevent outbreaks of serious diseases.

NCQA asserts that the decline in vaccination rate may have something to do with parents believing the unproven idea that there is a relationship between vaccinations and autism in children.

A lot of people who have tried to find affordable health insurance quotes on their own can attest that doing so is a difficult task. That is one of the reasons why employees value health insurance coverage as such an important component of their compensation package.

A national study by a major insurance company found that more than 80 percent of people think more highly of an employer who offers voluntary insurance benefits. Furthermore, almost 90 percent of prospective employees said it was important for an employer to offer health insurance along with a range of voluntary insurance offerings.

A representative from the health insurance provider says offering a range of benefits is important for employee satisfaction.

"Employers should consider including voluntary insurance as part of their benefits portfolio - employees expect them, and when they are offered, employees tend to become healthier and more productive at work," he said.

Healthier employees can also result in savings for an employer. Those who are in better health are less likely to use sick days or require expensive medical care.