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As the cost of employer-sponsored health insurance continues to rise and the final provisions of the Affordable Care Act loom on the horizon, eHealthInsurance (NASDAQ: EHTH), America’s first and largest private health insurance exchange, today released its top consumer tips for this year’s open enrollment season.

Today eHealthInsurance released its top five tips to help consumers navigate the new “Summary of Benefits and Coverage” forms which will be unveiled this month in accordance with provisions of the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA).

About 90 percent of the baby boomers surveyed also reported being more concerned about the future of Medicare because of the upcoming presidential election. In spite of concerns about Medicare’s future, many did not understand basic parts of how the Medicare program actually works. Many of those surveyed failed to correctly answer four basic questions about commonly accepted “Medicare myths.”

Myth #1: Medicare works just like regular health insurance – 40% knew this was a myth. Myth #2: Medicare is free – 70% knew this was a myth. Myth #3: A person can enroll in Medicare any time after they’re 65, without penalty – 23% knew this was a myth. • Myth #4: Medicare covers everything – 81% knew this was a myth.

Less than five percent (5%) of customers were in the Medicare prescription drug plan with the lowest total out of pocket costs available to them, according to an analysis of more than 12,000 user sessions that occurred on PlanPrescriber.com during the 2012 Medicare Annual Enrollment period. The same analysis, released today by PlanPrescriber (www.planprescriber.com), a wholly-owned subsidiary of eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH), found that twenty-four percent (24%) of customers were in the Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan with the lowest total out of pocket costs available to them.

Medicare is increasingly becoming a multi-generational product as baby-boomers age into the program that their parents have been on for decades,” said Ross Blair, Chief Executive Officer of PlanPrescriber.com. “We’ve done exhaustive research into the way people interact with our web site to create a user-experience that is optimized for people of all ages. We’re very excited about the potential this new home page has to simplify the process of researching, comparing and enrolling in Medicare plans online.”

Many of today's college students stand to benefit from the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA), but provisions of the law coming into effect this year may actually reduce the number of coverage options available for some students. In response, eHealthInsurance (NASDAQ: EHTH), America's first and largest health insurance exchange, has published its top seven consumer health insurance tips for college students in 2012.

Today, eHealth, Inc. the parent company of eHealthInsurance.com (http://www.ehealthinsurance.com), the leading online source of health insurance for individuals, families and small businesses, published a report on the ‘Cost & Benefits of Short-Term Health Insurance Plans.’ According to the report, in 2011 individuals paid $67 per month on average for a short-term health insurance policy and had a $1,821 deductible, while families paid $153 per month on average for a short-term health insurance policy and had a $1,877 deductible.

How much does short-term health insurance cost? Individually purchased short-term health insurance policies differ from major medical health insurance in a number of ways. Short-term health insurance policies are optimal for individuals and families in transition who are confident they’ll have access to major medical health insurance within six to twelve months.