Links

  • National Center for Health Statistics 
  • Career Guide to Health Care Industries 
  • Uninsured Americans: Health Insurance Statistics  

THE HEALTH INSURANCE DILEMMA

Diagnosis and Treatment It has become a national concern, that with the tough economic times that we are facing more American’s than ever before will be forced to live without health insurance. New regulation of the health care system by the government is expected, however many think that this will destroy our government’s democratic structure and that it will be replaced by a more socialistic one. This concern has many American’s in a dilemma, wanting health insurance but not being sure how it will affect the overall structure of the government.

The truth is that the people who are mostly concerned with the concept of a socialistic structure are those who already have health insurance. If they were one of the millions of American’s in this country who could not go to the doctor because they couldn’t afford it, or had to watch a loved one die of a disease, because they couldn’t afford the treatment, then perhaps they would have a little bit different perspective on the situation.

Living in perhaps the wealthiest country in the world should mean that we take care of our own, and make sure that they can afford to get the help they need when they are sick, injured or in pain. After all, we send medicine to foreign countries whose people need our help, so why not take care of our own.

MEETING THE NEED

So where can you turn if you are in need of medical insurance for you and your family? How can you get the help you need? Well, honestly there are several alternative health insurance programs available to those who can’t afford traditional health insurance plans, and who are not covered through their job. The following are some health insurance options that may be able to help you get free health insurance coverage, or some reasonably priced insurance:

  1. MEDICARE – Medicare is a program that is predominately for the aged, those over 65, however some people who are disabled can receive Medicare benefits at any age. This plan is a government funded program and usually tends to go hand in hand with Social Security Benefits.
  2. MEDICAID – This is an insurance coverage that is provided by the government and will cover mostly pregnant women and children. This type of plan may or may not cover other members of the family, depending on circumstances.
  3. SCHIP – This is a government funded program designed to provide insurance for low to middle income children. This plan is a state plan that usually is associated with Medicaid and is intended for children. However, this program does not have the low income requirements of Medicaid and therefore you may still be eligible for this program for your children, even if you make too much money to be eligible for Medicaid. This program is free to some, but others pay a sliding scale premium which provides a lower cost alternative to traditional health insurance.

Checking into these options first, you may find out that you are eligible for one of these three government programs. If this is not the case, and you are still struggling to obtain health insurance, then some of the ideas listed below may provide you with reasonable insurance options.





INSURANCE FOR LESS

So none of the options above applied to you, and you are thinking that you will never be able to afford health insurance. Well, the following things can help you get a better understanding of ways to get insurance coverage, or medical care at a more reasonable price.

  • Check out alternative forms of insurance such as catastrophic insurance, short-term insurance or temporary health insurance. These options usually cost less money, and although they will not provide coverage for routine doctor’s visit, they will allow you to maintain continuous coverage and will cover you for the larger medical expenses.
  • There are several discount insurance plans out there where you pay a membership fee and they offer you discounts on doctor’s office visits etc. Although, this is not a bad alternative for routine visits, keep in mind that this is better used with some type of back up insurance for the big health issues; after all if the medical bills pile up, even with a 20% discount, you could still be sunk.
  • Many communities actually offer free or reduced fee clinics. Check into this in your area. These can usually be located through a local hospital, Medicaid, or the yellow pages. This is an especially good alternative to the adults of the kids who are covered by Medicaid or SCHIP.