It seems as if it's almost impossible to turn on the TV news or pick up a newspaper without seeing some mention of health care. Health care insurance costs are one of the hottest-button issues around. And it's no wonder. Right now about 16% of all Massachusetts residents cannot afford any health insurance at all.

If you're having trouble affording your health insurance take heart. While we can't make health insurance costs disappear entirely, there are ways for you to lower them considerably.

Start by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This involves several things. It means that you do not eat fast food more than once a week, it means that you avoid fried foods, it means that you do not indulge in snacks that are filled with nothing but empty calories, and it means that you get some exercise every day.

Exercise can be as simple as walking to the end of your block and back - the more you can do the better.

A healthy lifestyle also means that you do not smoke and you do not use chew or any other tobacco product. If you are truly serious in your desire to save money and get discount health insurance in South Carolina then you need to quit all tobacco products.

It also means that you need to maintain a healthy weight. Losing weight is one of the most difficult things most people face in life, but the fact remains that the higher your Body Mass Index (BMI) the higher your monthly health insurance premium will be. Do whatever you have to to lose at least a little weight. Dropping even a few pounds may let you slip down a rung on the insurance company's BMI chart - and if that happens you could save hundreds of dollars a year on your health insurance costs.

Keep your credit in good shape. Many people are not aware that their credit score affects how much they pay for health insurance, but the better your credit score the lower your cost of health insurance.

Don't participate regularly in extreme sports or dangerous hobbies. Also, if you drive a fast sports car you health insurance rates will reflect that, too.

Group health insurance will save you money over individual health insurance almost every time. If your workplace does not offer group health insurance then be creative - ask at any club, group or organization that you belong to. You'd be surprised at the number of organizations now offering their members group health insurance.

If none of your clubs or groups offers health insurance ask your friends, neighbors and family members if they belong to any organizations that offer group health insurance. If so, see if you can join.

If you have a home-based business it's possible that you could qualify for group health insurance with as few as one employee - even if that employee is your spouse. However, even if your home-based business does not qualify for group health rates ask your tax advisor if your health premiums could be made tax deductible. If so, that would effectively save you money.

Joining an HMO or a PPO can save you money on health insurance, but be prepared for the possibility that you could have to change doctors.

Can you afford to increase your co-payment? If you can increase your co-payment to 50% each time you see your doctor you can save a great deal on the monthly cost of your health insurance. Of course this strategy works best for people who do not see their doctor on a regular basis.

Can you afford to increase your deductible? Increasing your deductible will have an almost immediate effect on the cost of your health insurance. The higher your deductible the lower your monthly premium. However, use caution when increasing your deductible as you will have to find the cash to pay your deductible each year before your insurance company will begin to pay for any of your health care. Don't promise to pay more than you can actually afford.

Now find at least 3 websites that let you compare the cost of health insurance from different insurance companies. Use what you have learned in this article to fill out the forms on at least 3 of the comparison websites. Make sure that you fill out all three forms exactly alike so that you are comparing the same health policy each time.

Now all you need to do is review your results and pick the lowest priced company! You are now an expert at saving money and getting discount health insurance in Massachusetts.