Paying for Healthcare: What are my options?

This post was originally named “No Job/No Health Insurance/No Care: What Are My Options?” With the economy being what it is, and the increasing number of people who are employed, but have no health insurance, it is being updated to reflect changes that have taken place since it was originally posted approximately two years ago.

There are three areas to consider. First is what can you do to keep yourself in the best possible health, so it reduces need for medications and medical visits. This can be difficult, particularly if you are under a lot of stress due to a job loss and/or mounting expenses. Second is where to go for free and/or sliding scale fee care in your community. Finally, developing “social capital” can assist you in multiple ways.

Step 1: Research shows that chronic illness can be eliminated or significantly reduced by maintaining a healthy life style. Below are links to help you live as healthy a life as possible.

• University of Minnesota Taking Charge of Your Health

• Beth Israel Medical Center Continuum Center for Health and Healing New Approaches to Chronic Disease

• Preventive Medicine Institute (Dean Ornish program for reversing heart disease)

• 50 Terrific Social Sites for Healthy Living

• Wise Brain.org: A project of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, offers tools and skills to making changes in the brain that benefits the whole person.

• Blue zones Power 9: Power 9® show you how to live longer through the specific lifestyle habits shared by the world’s longest living people. These lessons emphasize making changes to your environment that will influence your habits.

• Check local news sources, as well as ask your medical provider, about free healthy living classes, smoking cessation, exercise and similar programs.

Step 2: Below are links to help you identify resources in your community where you can obtain free and/or sliding scale fee care.

• Federally funded health centers provide care on a sliding scale fee and include the following services: checkups; treatment; pregnancy care; immunizations; dental care; prescription drugs; mental health and substance abuse care. Find a Health Center.

• Many states have free clinics. Locate a clinic by going to http://www.nafcclinics.org/ If you live near the border of another state, be sure to check both states. Some free clinics provide dental care.

• Most hospitals have programs and policies regarding uncompensated care. You can learn more about this by searching on line for your state and/or hospital with the term “uncompensated care.” The Hill-Burton program, a federal program, which expired in 1997, has 172 hospitals and nursing homes that are obligated to offer free and/or reduced fees.

• Contact the national organization and/or local chapter that pertains to your health condition. Use the Medline Plus list of Organizations to help you identify the appropriate organization.

• For dental care, search the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, a division of the NIH, Finding Low-Cost Dental Care

• For eye care

- National Eye Institute’s Financial Aid for Eye Care

- EyeCare America: A Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology-provides eye care for the medically underserved

• For prescriptions

- Prescription Assistance Program

- Free Medicine Program

- Needy Meds

- Together Rx Access

- Rx Assist

- Tricare Senior Pharmacy For uniformed services beneficiaries 65 years of age or older.

• If you are a veteran, you are eligible for care through the Department of Veterans Affairs

• Contact your local Community Action Agency (CAAs): CAAs are nonprofit private and public organizations established under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 to fight America's War on Poverty. Depending on the CAA, they can provide information and referrals, food pantries, income management, housing, jobs, and health care. Most CAAs will have someone on staff that can help you fill out forms for state funded health insurance if you qualify.

• Apply for state and federally funded health insurance (Medicaid and Medicare). While Medicare is generally for those 65 and over, many people with chronic conditions qualify for this program. You can apply on-line for Medicare.

- Medicaid is a state run program, and as such has different eligibility criteria and applications. Contact your local CAA about how to apply for Medicaid in your state.

- Contact your state’s health department for other types of health insurance that may be available.

• Some conditions, such as HIV, have special funding structures for care. The best way to find out about these programs is contact your local health department and/or condition specific organizations, e.g. American Diabetes Association

• For additional resources and information, contact your state’s 211 helpline

Step 3: Developing “social capital” is defined in business terms as the degree to which an organization or community collaborates and cooperates (through such mechanisms as networks, shared trust, norms and values) to achieve mutual benefits. (Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth) In terms of this blog , social capital refers to mutual benefits available in your relationships to neighbors, family, friends, work, church, and community .

An idea that’s been around for eons, simply put by helping each other we build a strong community, which can help us in our time of need. A good example is the film “It’s A Wonderful Life.” George Bailey (played by Jimmy Stewart), rich in social capital, but financially poor, helps his community and family time and again. When the chips are down for George financially, his social capital kicks in and saves him, and helps Clarence earn his wings in the process. If you haven’t watched the film, the last part makes no sense.

To help you understand a bit better what your social capital might be, answer the following statements on a scale of 1-5 with one strongly disagree and five strongly agree:

• If I need help around the house, I know I can count on my neighbor, family or friends.

• I often exchange favors with other members of my community-e.g. picking up items from the grocery store for a friend; watching someone else’s children.

• If I were seriously ill, I know I could count on my neighbors, family, or friends for help.

• If something serious happened to a neighbor, such as a death, fire or major illness, I would be there to help them.

• If something serious happened to me, my community would rally around me.

If most of your answers are 4’s and 5’s you probably have good social capital. You can cash in on this in many ways-someone who knows someone can help you find a job; assistance in finding a local health provider who will see you for free; and help when you need it most.

If many of your responses are three or lower, Check out 100 Things You Can Do to Build Social Capital.