While campaign, a lot of politicians and political action committees stumped about providing affordable health insurance for the average consumer. Actual solutions on the other hand, seem to be very far removed from what was being discussed. Unemployment claims are on the rise, and the so is the number of uninsured Americans. Having large, un-taken-care-of medical bills is a leading factor in bankruptcies in the United States today. So what are the options if you’re fired from your job, are newly uninsured and have nothing to do but apply for a new job and checkout the NASCAR schedule?

Risk factors extend beyond financial woes.

When people cannot afford to pay for medical procedures their pocketbook may become the least of their concerns.

• Uninsured individuals are more likely to die prematurely than their insured peers.
• Uninsured are more prone to succumb to major diseases that may have been detected through routine preventative care- care that is often put off due to financial restraints.
• The odds of uninsured infants dying are 1.5 times more likely than infants that have private insurance.
• Lack of routine health care can lead to emotional issues such as depression and anxiety which can lead to physical ailments, beginning a cycle of symptoms that often go untreated.

Options for the recently uninsured.

If you have recently found yourself without health insurance coverage consider the following options to learn if you qualify for assistance.

• Medicaid- Each state has different guidelines for this government funded program which provides medical coverage for qualifying individuals. To qualify you must meet certain income requirements.  The Medicaid program is geared toward assisting people with low income and limited assets.
• Child Health Insurance- Low cost or free health insurance for children is available in most states for qualifying families. For more information you should contact your local or state government officials to find out if you fall within the income guidelines to qualify.
• Short-term coverage- If you recently lost coverage due to a job loss, check with an experienced health insurance broker to see if you qualify for short-term coverage until you find another job. Due to the limited amount of time the insurer is exposed to claims, some insurers will provide individual policies to cover the gap in employment for less money than standard individual coverage.
• COBRA- This is a relatively well known yet sometimes expensive alternative to extend your health insurance policy from your previous employer. You may be entitled to continue your coverage for up to 18 months, however you will be responsible for the cost of the entire premium. Just remember to write on your 2010 calendar when your plan will expire.
• Community health centers- Many local community centers provide routine and diagnostic care for little or no cost. Women may qualify for low cost mammograms, pap smears and birth control options at local clinics.

If you find yourself without health insurance it is important to research options available to find affordable coverage or take advantage of programs designed to help individuals in need. You should also ask anyone you know in a similar situation what they did? Although file sharing might be frowned upon by the RIAA, it’s definitely a good idea to share affordable health care ideas! Do not wait until an emergency happens to explore the options available; by then it might be too late.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 13th, 2009 at 4:14 pm and is filed under tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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