Options Besides Private Pay Health Insurance

If you find yourself without health insurance either because your employer doesn't offer health insurance as a benefit of employment or simply because you can not afford the health insurance plan as it is being offered their may be other low cost alternatives that you can investigate.

Depending on your income you and or some of your family members may be eligible for Medicaid or at the very least the SCHIP insurance that is offered as a supplement to working families that can't afford or are not offered health insurance through their employer. While this may only provide health insurance for a portion of your family this may help alleviate at least part of the burden.

There may be other options that may be able to help you. For instance there are actually many groups and organizations that offer discount health insurance to their members and if you or a family member are part of one such organization this can allow you to purchase your health insurance for a lower rate. Such groups include AARP and AAA just to name a few but there are many different organizations that offer insurance benefits.

If you are without the means to get health insurance then you may want to at the very least purchase a discount health card. Although these cards should not be misconstrued as health insurance they are helpful and allow you to receive discounts with certain health care providers. This can allow you to get the care you need at a more affordable price.

Lastly if all else fails you may want to look in the surrounding towns for a free care or sliding scale clinic. Many doctors work in these clinics in their off hours to provide care and medicine to those who don't have the money for the health care they need and this can be of great service to those without health insurance. Usually proof of income and such is required at these health care facilities and they should be considered a last resort option for care.