There is no national health plan for Americans. But there are many programs available for this purpose. Many people have health plans at the companies where they work. Under these plans, the company pays a fixed sum of money regularly into a fund. Then when the employee needs medical help, he can use money from the fund to pay for it. Other people have health insurance. They pay insurance premiums each month to insurance companies which then pay for medical expenses when they are needed. In some medical plans, the insurance company is also the medical institution. People regularly pay the hospital directly. Then when they need medical treatment, they go to the hospital without paying more money. The government has health insurance programs for older people, poor people and those with long-term illness. These programs make medical care available to those without their own health insurance.