| By :
Marilyn Katz
More and more Americans are losing their group health insurance. Some who still have coverage are getting benefits reduced because of high costs to companies. The health reform debate seems bogged down in congress, but many sick people need help now. However, there are some steps you can take to find health benefits if you need them. It is better to know about ways to afford doctors, hospitals, and prescription medicine before you get sick. But if you are already sick, or you care for somebody who has trouble paying for health care, you can still get help. Group health is the common and traditional way that many Americans get their benefits. Since unemploymet is still high, and since health insurance premiums keep going up, many people are losing their coverage. More have had benefits cut so their group plans are not covering as many services as they used to cover. Individual health insurance is another option for some. Remember that the best time to buy individual health plans is when you are healthy. These private companies can decide who they will accept. They may decline people for some health conditions. If they do accept a person with a pre existing health issue, they may charge a lot more. If you cannot qualify for a private plan, look at your state's high risk plan. Every US state has something in place for people who have been declined. But these plans can be quite expensive in some states. They are for people with an income who just lack a health plan because they do not have one at work. If you do not have the option of getting group health, individual health, or a state risk pool, you still have some options though. You can find free, or reduced price, services and medicine. PPARX.org is a very good portal to many helpful eervices. The primary function of this website is to help people afford prescription drugs. They list private and pubic services that can help. Some of the services are charities or foundations. Some are actually run by drug makers who are trying to help lower income people buy medicine. The PPARX website has more than prescription help. You can enter your zip code to look for low cost medical providers in your neighborhood. You simply enter your zip code, specify the distance you can travel, and then click the submit button. You should get a list of medical facilities. If there are no results for your first search, you may have to expand it to a wider area. There are also financial aid, or copay, foundations that provide money. Some of these bills may not even be related to medical treatment, but are generated by travel or needing to take time off of work. Your county may have a hospital system which will provide services for a sliding scale to residents of your area. Very low income people may qualify for Medicaid. The federal children's health insurance program (CHIPS) can cover kids from families with lower incomes too. The CHIPS guidelines are laxer than the Medicaid guidelines. If you lack medical insurance, it is best to examine your options now. It is always best to know how to get treatment before you actually need it. But I know that is not always possible, and so it is nice to know that there may be some help out there.
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