I don’t have health insurance. What are my options?
January 2, 2009 by admin
Filed under FAQ 4 of 10
I don’t have health insurance. What are my options?
More than 46 million people in the United States are uninsured, and most are in working families. The government is looking for ways to provide more affordable health insurance and greater access to health care. Right now, there are a number of resources for women without health insurance. There are government-sponsored “safety-net” facilities that provide medical care for those in need, even if they have no insurance or money. Safety-net facilities include community health centers, public hospitals, school-based centers, public housing primary care centers, migrant health centers, and special needs facilities. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently awarded more than $19 million to expand and strengthen these facilities. To find a facility near you, contact your local or state health department or visit the Bureau of Primary Health Care.
Other government-sponsored programs for uninsured women include:
* Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, & Children (WIC). Provides healthy foods to supplement diets, nutrition education, and referrals to health care for low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5. Contact: http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic.
* National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP). Provides free or low-cost mammograms and pap tests for women over age 39 who cannot afford breast exams or Pap smears. Contact: http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp or 1-888-842-6355.
* Maternal and Child Health Services. State programs provide health care services for low-income women who are pregnant and their children under age 22. The federal government funds these programs and establishes general guidelines regarding services. Each state determines eligibility and identifies the specific services to be provided. The Title V State MCH Toll-free Hotline Directory can help you find services in your state.
* Indian Health Service (IHS). Provides public health care services to American Indians and Alaskan Natives. Generally, one must be an enrolled member of a Federally recognized tribe to be eligible for health services from the IHS. Non-Indian women who are pregnant with an eligible Indian’s child also may receive health care service from the IHS. Contact: www.ihs.gov.
* Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH). Federal grants are provided to states and territories that partner with local organizations to provide a variety of health services for homeless people who have serious mental illness. Contact: http://www.pathprogram.samhsa.gov.
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