What are some good sites for comparing health care programs in the US,
particularly those for private individuals (as opposed to corporate
programs)?  Ideally, I'd like to be able to select a variety of
features and parameters and get a list of possible providers and
service options.

Also, some sites that explain some of the ins and outs of health care
coverage for the layman would be helpful.

Dear mrfrog-ga,

Before tackling your question, I would like to ask what state you live
in.

While there are many sites that purport to offer health insurance
comparison shopping, most of them have two problems.  First, they are
usually stronger in some states than others.  Second, they typically
offer quotes from only a subset of insurance companies operating in
each state.  If I knew what state you lived in, I could very likely
provide links to a list of the companies that are licensed to sell
individual health insurance policies in that state.

I'd be interested for the states of Oregon and California.

Thanks!