[Anthony]

generally, you'll be better with a national based insurance company, with their PPO plans, such as BC/BS, Aetna, United Healthcare, Cigna, than other minor localized insurance companies, such that you will have more provider (doctors and facility) options, which is generally better. HMO's such as Kaiser, and other companies such as Cigna, United Healthcare, Aetna also have their HMO plans, but you have to stay in their networks, of which the national companies have better networks with more options.

Obama plans (legislation) mandated that private insurance companies offer low premium plans, which generally resulted in plans with higher deductibles and co-pays as compared to the insurance companies other plans, which the former is kind of what you don't want for "poorer" people.

Depends on how much you are willing to spend. Different plans may not affect what hospitals you can go to, but they definitely affect which physicians and other outpatient providers you can see and be covered. You generally get what you pay for.