Can You Afford Prescriptios and Other Health Care?
We have published some articles on health insurance, and even ranted a bit about health reform in the US. I do not 
care what your political outlook is right now, but you have to know that the US health system has some big problems that affect patients, doctors, and employers. In fact, every player in this issue has a crisis to deal with right now, and I wish our own government could somehow get past the silly stuff and get some work done.
Who Needs Help Affording Health Care?
We have gotten some very sincere emails from our previous posts. I am not going to pubish them because of privacy issues. You will have to take my word for it. People are having real trouble because they cannot afford prescriptions or other health services. I think this problem is really tough for those of us betwee about 50 and 64. We are too young for Medicare, and too old to easilly qualify for private individual policies. Even if some of us have health isurance, our policies may not be all that good. I have heard of tragic cases of people running out of benefits or having huge copays, deductibles, or limits when they needed expensive medical treatment.
Solutions to Affording Prescriptions, Doctors, Clinics, Hospitals, ETC.
I am going to link to this article on finding health with health care for people who cannot afford prescriptions, doctors, hospitals, and other costs associated with being sick or injured. I think it provides a clear and succint roadmap
What to Do if You Cannot Afford Health Insurance << Click Here
The Partnership for Prescription Assistance (And Other Medical Services)
One of the big resources it mentions is PPARX.org. Though the name of the organization is the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, it does even more than provide prescription help.
This website, and organization provides a portal to private and public assistance for prescriptions, clinics, financial aids, and patient advocates. You can look up your prescriptions. You can enter a zip code and find nearby low cost (or free) clinics. You can find orgaizations that provide some financial aid for your costs or that will advocate for your treatment.
Are You Healthy Now?
This may really surprise you, but many people do not bother to get health insurance when they are still healthy because they just do not see the need. Or they may buy a policy that is very cheap, but has some limits that really make it a poor choice is a serious illess or injury crops up. I am hardly an advocate for insurance companies, but you should understand that the best time to buy health insurance is when you are healthy! You are not going to get a private insurer to cover you after you are already sick. Insurance doesn’t work like that! That would be like trying to buy life insurance after you are already dead!
Do You Have A Decent Income, But Still Lack Health Insurance?
A major medical plan with a high deductible, for a healthy person, should not cost more than the price of a couple of family restaurant meals every week. You really need to examine priorities. Besides, for many of us, health insurance premiums are tax deductible. And even if you are still responsible for deductibles and copays, you will be able to avoid financial run.
Besides, people with insurance tend to pay less for services. My own plan does not cover testing under the deductible. But when I do get those tests they are discounted. Last time I got routie blood tests, I paid about $70 for $300 of charges because of the discount. My friend, who lacks insurance, paid the whole amount. Is it fair to offer discouts to people with insurance? It isn’t fair, but it is real.
Be wary of limited benefit plans that cap out limits on the top end. An example might be a policy that pays out some figure, like $2,000 a day, for hospital stays. This is not going to be that helpful for you. You need to absorb the bottom costs, like a deductible or office visits, and have a major medical plan at your back when you really need it.
If You Cannot Afford Health Insurance or Health Costs
If you just cannot afford it, then please take time to look at the article above or the PPARX website so you can have a game plan of what to do get sick. There are organizations out there that provide prescription assistance, low cost clinics, sliding scales for hospital costs, patient advocates, etc. It would be a good idea to be aware of these before you experience a crisis.
|
Come Together! Right Now! Over the Over50Website.com. Also check out our latest project, BeHappyYourself.com.
|
Related articles:
Feedback