Individual health insurance offers people the chance to tailor a plan to meet their needs, such as a high-deductible policy with a low monthly premium for someone with fewer medical needs or a slightly richer plan for those who frequently go to the doctor.

"People find that you can save a tremendous amount of money by right-sizing your insurance instead of a one-size-fits-all product," he said.

After entering his basic demographic information, Nielsen received information on dozens of different plans. Each had varying levels of benefits, deductibles and monthly premiums, not to mention restrictions and exclusions, which can be an overwhelming and complex process for someone unfamiliar with the insurance industry.

"I was trying to make an educated decision with scraps of understanding," Nielsen said. "I did try to do my best, but I couldn't bring myself to spend more than two hours on it."

The plan he ultimately chose costs about $100 a month and is offered by Regence BlueCross BlueShield, Utah's second-biggest commercial health insurance company in terms of market share. He hasn't had to use the plan since purchasing it last fall but said he's more comfortable knowing it's there, just in case.

Regence has worked with eHealth for the last couple of years and, in fact, helped the company pilot its "virtual broker" concept, said Al Tredway, Regence's vice president of sales. In that time, eHealth has become one of Regence's top-producing brokers.

"I think people are more comfortable now more than ever in purchasing over the Internet all kind of goods and services," Tredway said, noting that many people today purchase auto insurance online. "Now they're moving into personal health."

The products Regence offers through eHealth are identical, in benefits and price, to those they would offer employers looking for health insurance for their employees, Tredway said.

---

E-mail: awelling@desnews.com