If you do not have access to employer-sponsored group insurance, you may want to buy an individual health insurance policy from a private health insurance company.  However, in Oregon - as in most other states - you have limited guaranteed access to individual health insurance.  When you are eligible to buy a “portability” policy,” you will have more protections than others buying individual policies.  There also are some alternatives to individual health insurance coverage - such as COBRA coverage, state continuation coverage and the Oregon Medical Insurance Pool (OMIP).  This chapter summarizes your protections under different kinds of health plan coverage.