The Employee Benefits Research Institute recently noted in a report that a sizable portion of Americans have lost healthcare policies due to their companies no longer willing to pay some of the costs.

Approximately 72 percent of employers offered their workers some type of health insurance plan in 2002, according to the report. However, this declined to 67.5 percent in 2010.

"The majority of uninsured workers report that they are not covered by health benefits because their employers did not offer coverage," said Paul Fronstin, senior research associate with EBRI. "In 2010, 58.2 percent of uninsured workers reported that they worked for employers that did not offer health benefits to any employees This is up from 53.1 percent in 1997."

Consumers who have been shut out of the option to have some type of affordable plan from their employer may want to look for alternatives. By checking online to discover health insurance quotes within their budget, it may be possible for consumers to find quality coverage.