A recent survey found that many consumers think that their friends and family members influence their health habits as much as those in the medical field.

The Edelman Health Barometer 2011 noted that 43 percent of people think their family and friends make the most difference when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, which can impact their health insurance premiums. Another 36 percent think that these people have the largest impact on their own nutrition habits. Close to one-third of respondents noted that they regularly distanced themselves from those who took part in unhealthy activities.

"Whether we mean to or not, we influence public and personal health in all aspects of our lives," said Nancy Turett, global president of Health for Edelman. "Health - good and bad - is communicable, and it is the responsibility of every citizen, especially those of us with leadership roles in any sector or industry, to act on this."

Consumers who do not have coverage may want to inquire about health insurance, so they can make sure they can attend physicals and other medically-related visits at more affordable rates.

Multiple studies released recently showed that more young Americans are finding health insurance, according to The New York Times.

A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that in the first part of this year, approximately 900,000 more young adults gained insurance. This may be due to a large amount of people taking advantage of the new law that allows for those under the age of 26 to be on their parents' heath insurance plan, the news source reported.

In addition, a report from the U.S. Census Bureau noted that the total amount of young adults who do not have coverage fell approximately two percentage points, and stood at 27.2 percent in 2010. Overall, more than 500,000 people from the ages of 18 to 24 got coverage, according to the news source. A large percentage of that group earned private insurance.

The Department of Health and Human Services also predicted last year, that 650,000 people would have new coverage in 2011, the news source added. Many of the sign-ups may have to do with increased enrollments from private health insurance companies. 

A recent announcement from Michigan's Health Insurance Program informed citizens that the state's government sponsored healthcare plan for those without coverage, or a pre-existing condition will have premiums cut by 10 percent.

The Wolverine State is one of 27 states that offer the government-sponsored program, while the remaining states have a system run by the federal government. In addition to standard healthcare, the program offers prescription coverage, hospital services, hospice care and behavioral health services.

"The approval by HHS allows HIP Michigan to provide new lower premiums for most applicants and additional ways for them to demonstrate eligibility," said Scott Wilkerson, the president and chief executive officer of Physicians Health Plan, which administers HIP Michigan. "These changes will make it easier for consumers to obtain the peace of mind and affordable health care that HIP Michigan delivers."

Consumers who are looking for specific health insurance rates may want to look at multiple quotes. The more that a person shops around, the better chance they have to get the best deal.

A recent poll from Harris Interactive found that a large majority of American adults have looked for healthcare information online, and a significant percentage do so regularly.

The Harris Poll discovered that 74 percent of adults reported using the internet to find healthcare information, while approximately 60 percent have done it in the past month. The people who do this excessively were named "cyberchondriacs" by the report's authors.

A larger amount of people used the internet often for this purpose in 2011 than they did in 2010 or 2009. In 2010, nearly 32 percent of consumers reported using the service compared to 22 in 2009, the report said. About 40 percent of people admitted to this in 2011.

Close to 90 percent of consumers think the information they find about healthcare on the internet is accurate. This was higher than each of the past two years.

Many of these consumers may not only be worried about their everyday ailments, but they also may worry about their health insurance coverage as well. It may be a good idea for these people to examine different quotes to find the policy that is best for them.

A significant number of consumers have difficulty getting accepted for health insurance, as denial rates are high, according to Kaiser Health News and USA Today.

While a study from America's Health Insurance Plans noted in a study that nearly nine in 10 people are approved for policies, this includes many people who were previously turned down. The plan they get may have higher costs or fewer options, the news source reported. But a large part of being denied or approved depends on where a person lives. A company operating in one state may not have the same denial rate in another state.

"It's not surprising that denial rates are high, because insurers have an incentive to only enroll the healthy risks," Sara Collins, vice president of the Commonwealth Fund, told the news source. "If a person comes in with a health problem that will potentially cost [the insurer] money, they are probably not going to cover them."

While health insurance may be important for many consumers, it may be a bad idea to get discouraged if the person is turned down. Instead, examining a series of different options may be the best way to find a good plan that is within a consumer's price range.