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It's a big transition time. You've graduated from college and are faced with all sorts of real-world challenges, not the least of which is to find a job. What do you do during this period of time for health insurance? There are a couple of options.

One option is to take out a temporary health insurance policy that lasts for one year or less. If you're young and healthy, a six-month plan with a $500 deductible and a 50% co-payment requirement may cost about $60/month. A deductible is the amount you'll pay out-of-pocket before the insurance kicks in. The co-payment is your share of the total cost for a doctor's visit or prescription medicine.

Keep in mind the idea behind a short-term policy is to protect you from the unexpected, but likely will not cover routine preventive care such as physical exams and dental or eye appointments.

The other option is to take out a regular individual policy. One difference is that temporary policies are not guaranteed for renewal, unlike long-term plans. If you develop a health problem, the temporary policy may not renew your policy at the end of the period.

For people like you who are young, healthy and unemployed, a long-term plan is less risky and may be similarly priced. Check out www.ehealthinsurance.com, an online insurance vendor and providers of temporary policies such as Fortis Health Insurance (Short-term Medical Plan) and Celtic Insurance (PostGrad plan).