Health insurance is probably one of the most-contested political issues facing this country right now, and it's possible that someday something will be done to make health care insurance more affordable for more people. But in the meantime it is going to be up to each and every one of us to do the best we can and to find ways to lower the cost of our health insurance on our own.

But there is a lot more we can all do to find lower-cost health care insurance.

Start by developing a healthier lifestyle. This includes quitting smoking and using all tobacco products. As difficult as this is for most people the fact is that people who do not smoke and who do not use chew or other tobacco products pay a lot less for their health insurance. If you really want affordable health insurance then you'll bite the bullet and quit smoking.

Unfortunately the same goes for being overweight. Your BMI (Body Mass Index) helps to determine your cost of health insurance. However, even if you can just lose a few pounds you can sometimes drop down a notch on the insurance company's BMI index and if that happens you can potentially save hundreds of dollars a year in health care costs.

Don't engage in extreme sports or dangerous hobbies. And sell that sleek and fast sports car if you are truly serious about affordable health insurance.

If you have a home based business or if you are self employed there may be ways for your agent to qualify you for group rates. But even if you can't qualify for group rates your health insurance premiums may be tax deductible and once your tax-break is figured into the equation you may find that your health insurance is not so expensive after all.

An HMO or a PPO may be part of the answer. Health Maintenance Organizations are less expensive than individual health insurance but they require that you only see plan doctors - if your current doctor is not a plan member then you may have to switch doctors.

Do you belong to any clubs, organizations or associations? You'd be surprised how often groups that you would never think of offer their members discount group health insurance. Ask if your friends belong to any groups, clubs or organizations that offer group health - and if so, join them. Even some religious organizations are now offering group health insurance, so ask around.

Obviously the larger of a deductible you can afford the lower your monthly premium cost for health insurance. Be honest with yourself when it comes to your deductible since you will have to find this money yourself to pay for your own health care before your insurance company begins picking up the tab.

If you're still having trouble affording health insurance but you have a home, a savings account or other assets that you really need to protect, consider purchasing a super-high-deductible policy, a health insurance policy with a deductible of $2,000 or even more. These comparatively cheap policies are not designed to help with normal doctor's visits or even most out-patient procedures. The purpose of these policies is to cover your medical expenses if you should have a catastrophic accident or suffer a major illness.

Now take the tips you have gathered from this article and then find at least 3 websites that allow you to compare the cost of medical insurance from different insurance companies. Fill out the forms on all 3 websites exactly the same, so you are comparing the same policy on all 3 sites.

Now your job is simple. All you need to do is to pick the company with the lowest price. This is the way to get affordable health insurance in South Carolina...you do your homework, you compare prices and you pick the winner!