Having no medical insurance is quite a costly option for Americans who face medical services without an insurance plan. Yes, the costs of being insured are sometimes ridiculous and not all Americans can afford costly plans, but when it comes to paying out of pocket for medical bills it's a much bigger sum of money than you would imagine. Still, if you can't afford having a costly insurance plan, there are ways to be insured for a smaller buck that many people are already using. Regardless whether you don't have enough income, unemployed, have special insurance needs or other causes for not having insurance, there will definitely be a suitable way amongst these ten options that will help you get exactly what you need:

1. COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) health insurance allows people who have lost their job to continue with their previous employer's health plan. This also applies o college students who can prolong their coverage through their parents' policy.  However, sometimes COBRA can be quite costly, so it should be used only as a back-up plan when no other coverage options are available and you don't want to be uninsured.

2. Workers' Compensation allows you to be covered by your employer according to state requirements. Especially if you have suffered work-related injury.

3. Medicaid is aimed at low-income individuals and families, providing health insurance when needed. If you have a job but still can't afford to insure your family you may also apply for Medicaid. Only make sure your state's requirements to see if you comply, because they vary across the states.

4. Medicare is designed for providing health insurance to senior citizens. It is a part of Social Security Administration initiatives and most people over the age of 65 comply with the requirements. If you have special insurance needs you can also get Social Security disability benefits.

5. State High Risk Health Insurance Pool is the last resort for people who have been turned down by numerous insurance companies due to pre-existing conditions. However, it's not a cheap health insurance option, but it's still better than not having any health insurance at all.

6. Individual and Family Health Insurance is the most widespread form of health insurance where the customer contacts the insurance company directly. Make sure to find a reputable company that will cover pre-existing conditions if there are any. And try to raise your deductibles from the start in order to get lower premiums.

7. Short Term Health Insurance Plans are a good option for being covered when between jobs or for learning the possibilities of the insurance company before getting a long-term insurance plan. Such plans usually have lower rates than individual and family plans and provide coverage for a much shorter period of time.

8. Group Insurance can be provided either by your employer or by an organization you're a member of. Usually such plans allow you to have cheap health insurance due to larger negotiating power with the insurance company, which keeps the rates down.

9. Health Insurance Co-ops are somewhat similar to group plans but have their peculiarities. They also provide members with low rates, but the point here is that all members share their expenses without aiming for profit, which makes it a bit different from typical insurance concept.

10. Discount Cards are not a separate form of health insurance but they allow keeping the costs down. Ask your doctor or workers union if they provide one, and for a low monthly fee you will get substantial discounts obtaining real cheap health insurance.