Recent statistics have shown that there has been an increase in the number of people in the United States that are living without medical insurance. If you fall into this category, you may be feeling worried about what may happen if you are someone you love falls ill. With that being said, in this post, we are going to take a look at some pieces of advice for navigating medical care without insurance.
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Find out if you are eligible for Medicaid
– The first thing you need to do is find out whether you are eligible for Medicaid. This is typically going to be determined based on your household size and income. Where you live also plays a role. This system is based on those who are disabled and the lowest earners. The management and eligibility of this program do differ from state-to-state, and so you need to find out what applies in your area. There are other systems that have been set-up to help those who are not insured. Take a look at lifesaversfoundation.org to find out more about how children can get emergency care without insurance.
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Do your research
– It is so important to take your time and do your research. Spend some time looking online to find out all about the different healthcare providers in your area and the fees they charge. Knowledge is certainly power, and so the more digging you do, the better position you will find yourself in. Thanks to the internet, it is easier than ever before to find out all of the information you need about any sort of organization, including reading reviews from people who have been to the clinic in question before.
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Do not rule out community health clinics
– A lot of people do not consider community health clinics because they have a bit of a bad reputation. However, you should definitely think about going down this route. Community health clinics are designed to assist the uninsured and they provide sliding fee scales. Because of this, it is assumed that quality levels are poor. This is not the case. In fact, the American Journal of Preventive Medicine carried out research that showed the level of care is just as good – if not better – when compared with the care received in private hospitals.
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Look for medical providers offering a cash-only service
– There are a number of healthcare providers that do not accept insurance at all. They could be called concierge-based medicine providers, as well as direct primary care or cash-only clinics. Some of these clinics will be willing to offer you a monthly payment plan. It is beneficial for the doctors as well, as they are able to earn money without having to go through the bureaucracy of insurance contracts and claims.
All in all, there is no denying that there is a large chunk of the population that do not have medical insurance. If you fall into this category, we hope that you have found the information above useful.
