What would you consider to be "essential" elements of a good medical plan?

A good medical plan is the one that gives you the benefits you desire for your situation with a reasonable premium. What is a good plan for you may not be a good plan for me. Do you have kids? - then unlimited doctor co-pays will be good. If you don't have kids and seldom if ever go to the doctor you can save premium by getting a policy with restricted or no doctor co-pays.

In my opinion health insurance is to protect you in case of a catastrophic (or expensive) illness. A good comprehensive policy will do this for you. Over half of all bankruptcies in the U.S. are a result of medical bills and most of those people had health insurance, just not the right kind. You will want a plan without annual or daily limits on what they'll pay and one with a high lifetime maximum.

You will also want a plan with a good local provider list. A lot of good a plan does you if you have to drive 200 miles to see a doctor or get a prescription filled.

Companies will pay out differently for different procedures, so if you have a health condition you will want a plan that covers your condition the best.