Private organizations can also be burdensome and bureaucratic. Don't you know someone who works in a big giant corporation? I do. Corporations can be slimeballs and sometimes they are not. The truth is somewhere in between. But they'll really like you if you're healthy but will be pickier as you get into your middle years and/or are sicklier.

Medicare are for those 65 and older, Medicaid are for really poor people, and SCHIP are for kids. You have to have paid into the program (and if you have worked and are legal, then you have) to be eligible for these programs. Legal kids (well they're parents) have to register with your state to be eligible for SCHIP since they administer the program.

SCHIP is really popular garnering over 66 votes in the Senate (I wish Dream could get that many!) needed to expand the program but the House couldn't get the 2/3 needed to override Bush's veto (they were about 12 short of 290 I think). Both Sen. Obama and Sen. McCain support its expansion. Medicare is also popular with the older set (as you can imagine) and even President Bush supported Medicare's expansion for Medicare Part D dealing with Prescription Drug subsidies.

Check my post here for more health care discussion!

Individual (aka portable) health care is expensive since you need a pool of people for cost savings to materialize. Also, Companies offering jobs in the lower end of the income bracket don't usually offer health insurance like Wal-Mart and fast food places. But custodians for universities, hospitals, or big companies can be part of their company's health insurance pool.

I agree with other people that a university's health insurance system is your best bet.