Ask almost any Arizona resident how they feel about medical insurance and you're sure to hear the same thing from each and every one of them - medical coverage is just too darn expensive. It's gotten so expensive, in fact, that fully 16% of all Arizona residents can't afford any coverage at all. Or at least they think they can't afford any coverage. The fact is, there's a new type of medical coverage that's radically different and potentially less expensive that could be the answer millions of Arizona residents have been hoping for.

But before we look at this new form of medical protection let's talk about your overall health since this new form of coverage works best for people who are generally healthy and don't need to see their doctor very often in a normal year.

There are two primary things that most Americans can do to improve their health and lower the cost of their health care. If they smoke or use chew they can stop, and if they are overweight they can shed a few pounds. Neither of these things is very appealing to most people, but the fact of the matter is you can save a ton of money every year if you can quit smoking and drop a few pounds.

Quitting smoking is more a matter of finally deciding on a gut level that you want to quit than it is based on any kind of patch or other gimmick. Either you sincerely want to quit or you don't - and if you don't really feel the NEED to quit smoking then it's very likely that any attempt to quit will fail.

Losing weight is also a matter of not just wanting to lose but of NEEDING to lose. One thing many Arizona residents can do to lose weight is to drive right on past their favorite fast food joint every day. If you have a real craving for a burger and fries then DON'T stop. A burger and fries can have more than 1,000 calories and enough fat and cholesterol to swim in.

Just how sincere are you about saving money on your health care?

The new type of health policy that can save you a ton of money is known as a Health Savings Account, or an HSA. This is a very special savings account that you put cheap tax-free dollars into. You then pay for ALL of your health needs every year with your own tax-free dollars.

Since you are using your own money to pay for your health needs you are in total control. You pick your own doctor, your own specialist, and decide about your own prescriptions.

As part of your Health Savings Account you will be required to buy a very cheap super-high-deductible health insurance policy. This high-deductible policy won't pay a penny toward your normal doctor's office visits, or your prescriptions (that's what you use your tax-free savings account for). What this cheap medical coverage does do is it protects your life savings and even your home from the possibility of a catastrophic accident or illness that could cost you tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars and wipe out all of your assets overnight.

But regardless of what kind of health coverage you're looking for, one thing will always save you big bucks, and that is buying your policy online. Buying online health insurance will save you 20 to 30% each and every month. In fact, it simply doesn't make sense to buy your health coverage anywhere but online these days.