(Daily Finance) — If you think there have to be better ways for an uninsured person to get health care than robbing a bank for $1 — as a North Carolina man did recently to get access to medical care in prison — you’re right: There are.  While most people get their health insurance from their employers, that doesn’t mean the jobless have to take desperate measures. If you’re one of the nation’s nearly 14 million unemployed, here’s what you need to know.

Get the Facts: ”The health insurance system is complex and can be confusing,” says Ankeny Minoux, president of the Foundation for Health Coverage Education, a nonprofit organization and research resource,www.coverageforall.org. “Start by doing your homework and taking the time to fully understand all options before enrolling in a program or plan.”