Your health is the first and most important factor to consider when weighing the different medical insurance options. If you have good health, you are an ideal candidate for individual medical insurance. In fact, you will probably find that individual plans are less expensive for you than traditional group plans through your employer. However if you suffer from any pre-existing conditions or have a poor health history, many insurers will look less favorably on having you as a client. This means if they even offer you a policy, the premiums will be higher. In such cases, your best bet is to take advantage of your group insurance through work. Because the premiums are averaged out amongst all the members of the group, you are likely to pay much lower rates than if you had individual insurance.  

Where you live also impacts the medical insurance options you have. If you live in rural parts of California away from medical centers you may not have the same options as those who live in bigger areas. HMOs with their own hospitals are often primarily geared towards those who live within a reasonable commuting distance.  

The amount of control you wish to have over your medical care is another aspect to consider when weighing your insurance options. Each of the major types of insurance plans differ from each other in terms of control. The HMO gives you the least amount of control over your healthcare. You must use certain doctors and certain medical centers, no exceptions. A PPO is just the opposite. You choose which doctor you would like to use and the insurance company pays for it. You don't even need a referral from a primary physician to see a specialist under this plan. A POS plan is a combination of both types with more control over your healthcare than a HMO, but not as much as a PPO. There is still a primary care physician who will oversee your healthcare, which is not necessarily a bad thing.  

Within the plans themselves there are even more options for you to consider. Any individual insurance plan allows you room to customize it to your needs. You can increase the yearly deductible, lower the coinsurance rate the insurer pays or increase the out-of-pocket limits, in order to transfer some of the risk and save even more money on your premiums.  

When you are looking for California medical insurance, be sure to weigh all the options carefully before making your decision. There is truly a lot to consider.