2017 is coming to an end, and with 2018 on the horizon, it is time to consider one of the basic human necessities these days: health insurance. With open enrollment now ongoing, individuals can have the chance to review or change their current healthcare plans in order to be covered in 2018. However, choosing the right healthcare plan can be a daunting prospect for some as there are several factors and choices in tow to be able to make the right decision.

Open enrollment will only take place between Nov. 1 and Dec. 15. Those who miss the dates will have to wait for next year to sign up. For working individuals, they can expect their employers to provide them with the necessary information regarding their healthcare insurance's status. To those who are buying on their own, however, there are several factors that need to be considered before they can make the right choice.

American citizens must remember that there will be a penalty deducted from 2.5 percent of their income if they fail to get health insurance. Everyone needs to sign up for a health insurance especially during open enrollment if they are not covered with another source.

There are several healthcare options out there, but in order for your plan to be effective, there are 10 essential benefits health plans must cover. These include: emergency care, outpatient care including chronic disease management, preventive and wellness services, hospitalization, mental health and substance abuse services, prescription drugs, rehabilitation services and devices, pregnancy and newborn care, lab tests, and dental and vision care for children.

Levels of coverage for these benefits may vary, but it is very important that health plans must cover all of these. During this year's open enrollment, it is also wise to take a look at non-silver plans, as some gold and platinum-tiered plans have the tendency to come cheaper this year due to the way the subsidies shake out.

Still, with the number of options out there, it is uncommon for some people to find it confusing. If this is the case, then it is helpful to seek out assistance from services like PolicyGenius. With their newly-released health insurance app, individuals can understand and enroll in the best healthcare insurance that fit their needs.

When David Vivero of Forbes asked PolicyGenius CEO on the best factor to consider when picking the right healthcare plan, she said: "I always recommend coming up with a handful of "deal breakers" before launching into your health insurance shopping process. There are a lot of factors that go into picking a health insurance plan, and you can get overwhelmed easily or get too focused on finding the lowest-priced plan. But your deal breaker list allows you to set a framework around what you're looking for."