The individual health market "is an important and growing market for health plans," says analyst Debra Donahue in Mark Farrah Associates' June 24 Healthcare Business Strategy. "It is emerging as a diversified product line for insurers targeting people without access to group-sponsored or government-sponsored coverage." Factors that should spur an increase in the sale of individual health policies include "employer groups reducing benefits, continuing high unemployment, and opportunities in the group and government markets shrinking," as well as the implementation of the health insurance exchanges and a growing desire among consumers for portable healthcare as frequent job changes become more common, she said. FierceHealthPayer