Much of the chatter on social media the past few weeks have been about people's health care coverage.

As renewals are coming up at the end of the year, many people are being notified of changes once again in their health care coverage. The past few years our health care system has been evolving as new the Affordable Care Act is being implemented.These changes will continue to happen over the next few years.Many of you may notice lower premiums, but higher out-of-pocket expenses.Increases in either deductibles, co-payments for services or coinsurance have risen dramatically.Insurance companies refer to this as cost sharing. It seems we are paying higher premiums for less coverage.Gone are the days of going to the doctor and having most of your expenses covered by your insurance. It seems every time you go to the doctors or need blood work done, you need to ask for an estimate.This has begun to leave much of the public underinsured. Many people have even chosen not be insured and just pay the tax penalty.It is beginning to hinder people from seeking proper health care because of fear of the cost.Even on the employer side, employer based health care premiums are continuing to rise. Many companies have gone to very high deductibles to keep premium prices down. It is difficult for large companies to keep ahead of these costs and even more difficult for the small-business owner.It has become increasingly difficult for the small-business owner to provide these benefits to their employees. It is difficult to even plan for these increases and it seems the implementation dates for new ACA compliance rules keep changing.Even if an employer wishes to offer their employees a higher-cost plan with smaller deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses, they need to consider the Cadillac Tax which may be levied against them beginning in 2018. This tax is planned as part of the ACA which will charge employers an excise tax on health care plans premiums that exceed certain costs.There are many factors to consider for small and large businesses.Changes will continue to take place over the next few years as more parts of the ACA plan are implemented. With the political climate changing and an election year looming who knows what parts of this plan will actually come to fruition.So what can the average consumer and everyday worker do to keep ahead of these changes?Keep yourself informed on what your insurance plan covers. Actually read the summary of benefits that is provided to you.Find out what is covered and what services the deductible applies. When not sure, ask questions to both your health care provider and your insurance company. Don't be surprised when the bill shows up in the mail.Employers and self-insured consumers need to shop around for the best coverage.There are so many companies with varying levels of coverage. Time must be taken to examine all options.Know what you are paying for. Employees still have the option of not taking their employer-based coverage and going to the marketplace exchange offered by the government.However, keep in mind you may have to pay the full premium instead of just the percentage of the premium offered by your employers.Compare the cost of the monthly premium against what you anticipate the out-of-pocket expenses to be. These include co-payments, deductibles and co-insurance costs.If your out of pocket expenses are higher, then your premium should be lower.Approach the purchase like you were buying a new car. Do the research, seek out the knowledge of professional insurance brokers and weigh your options. Be knowledgeable of the changes that are taking place over the next few years.Good luck navigating these new waters, It is still better to have coverage than not to be covered. It is your health and your family's health that is at stake.