Lost Your Health Insurance? Don’t Panic

In 2008, approximately 15% of the population, according to the Census Board, was without any type of health insurance.  That represents approximately 46.3 million people.  Most people are insured through their employee programs.  Other providers are Medicare and Medicaid.  What happens if you lose your benefits?If you become seriously ill or disabled, chances are that you will invest your cash in your own welfare, and spend your money on hospital charges.  It happens.
 
If you have no insurance and need medical attention don’t be afraid to negotiate for a better price.  It sounds odd to be haggling with a health care provider but it is something you have to learn how to do if your insurance disappears.When looking for new health insurance because, your policy has run out, or you have been laid off, there are several places that specialize in helping people find affordable coverage:
 

• Healthcare Advocacy tout themselves as providing effective and compassionate help to evaluate your plan coverage, and to navigate through the paperwork to help get you to the medical care you need.

• Patient Advocate Foundation helps patients throughout the application process and screening process for various chronic conditions.

• Patient Services Incorporated provides assistance with the cost of health insurance premiums.
 
Your search for affordable insurance can start with the above mentioned groups.  They will help direct you to the most appropriate course of action.  Other options can be to continue with your employer’s insurance (COBRA) and pay for the premiums on your own.  Or invest in your own insurance policy.  Prices can be compared at ehealthinsurance.com.
 
Drug Programs
If you have lost your insurance and you need to purchase medications, there are also state discount drug programs.  These programs offered by various states, which offer lower prescription drug prices to some uninsured, seniors, or families with limited incomes.  Other private groups offer discount drug cards or Patient Assistance Programs. 
 
There are many types of programs but the main type is where participating drug companies make their products available to financially strapped individuals.  Some programs can be found:
 
• Familywize.com which offers a Prescription Drug Savings Program where you present a card to participating pharmacy to receive a discount.
 
• RxAssist.org offers a Patient Assistance Program which is a “program set up by drug companies that offer free or low cost drugs to individuals who
are unable to pay for their medication”.
 
• RXhope.com is another company that offers “a helping hand to people in need in obtaining medication that they would normally have trouble affording”.
 
• Partnership for Prescription Assistance  also has prescription plan designed “to help qualifying patients without prescription drug coverage get free or low-cost medicines… “
 
• Access Project  also offers low cost medications to qualified patients.
 
Specific Disease Assistance
Many diseases have organizations that provide financial assistance to chronic sufferers.  The National Organization of Rare Diseases offers Patient Assistance Programs for “people whose income is too high to qualify for Medicaid but too low to pay for their prescribed medications”.Heart disease, kidney disease, HIV/AIDS, cancer and vision care all have foundations to specifically help with those diseases.If you get laid off or lose your health insurance stay calm and use the resources available to you and consider all your options to stay healthy.