Health insurance is available to groups as well as individuals. Government plans, such as Medicare, are offered to people who meet certain criteria.

Group and individual plans can be further classified as either fee-for-service or managed care. Cancer patients may have specific concerns, such as the freedom to select specialists that play a factor in choosing a health care plan. Fee-for-service plans traditionally offer greater freedom when choosing a health care professional. Managed Care often limits a patient to health care professionals listed by the managed care insurance company.

Group Health Plans
A group health plan offers health care coverage for employers, student organizations, professional associations, religious organizations, and other groups. Many employers offer group health plans to employees and their dependents as a benefit of working with that particular employer (medical benefits). The employer may pay for part or all of the insurance cost (premium).