Authored by Kristian Keefer in Health
Published on 02-14-2009
Receiving quality healthcare is not easy if you are unemployed. If you have a family to support, being unemployed without health insurance is even more frightening. There are some potential ways for you to secure health insurance or to receive much needed medical care if you are unemployed.
Consider COBRA benefits if they are available to you. If you are newly unemployed after losing a job for which you had health insurance benefits, you will probably qualify for COBRA. The same is true for your spouse and family if they were insured through your healthcare benefits as well. You will be offered the right to purchase your health insurance benefits at full cost to you in order to remain insured for a specified amount of time after you became unemployed. Unfortunately, for many people the premiums for COBRA benefits are just too high.
Contact your county assistance office. If you are unemployed, you might qualify for medical assistance through the department of public welfare. Your income, assets and the size of your family will all be taken into consideration. In some states, all children of low income families (or all uninsured children) have access to health insurance through the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
If you are not eligible for the medical card, ask a caseworker at the county public welfare office if there are other programs for struggling families (or individuals). Some states offer low cost health insurance programs for people who are uninsured and cannot afford to pay high premiums for individual or family insurance plans.
Healthcare for unemployed individuals is not always easy to find. You can apply for individual or family health insurance plans by searching for health insurance quotes online. There are several potential problems with independent health insurance. They can be very expensive since they are not part of a group discount plan. Many of these plans offer limited coverage with high coinsurance or deductibles. When you apply for health insurance on your own, you can be denied coverage based on pre-existing health conditions. However, it is certainly worth looking over some health insurance plan options.
Search for a free clinic in your area. There are often clinics with doctors that volunteer some of their time in order to provide free health services. These clinics can provide healthcare for unemployed by helping patients with mild or moderate health conditions. In addition, there are programs that help individuals or families to receive prescriptions for free or at reduced rates.
If you are a woman, who is unemployed, there are frequently programs for free female health services. You can talk to the local public welfare office for referrals to clinics offering annual GYN exams and other related services. Family planning related clinics are often available to woman as well. You can find opportunities to receive birth control options at low prices.
Healthcare for the unemployed is a problem facing many. In the very worst case scenario, you can visit an Emergency Room if you have a medical crisis. You cannot be denied help or emergency treatment from an emergency department of a hospital if you are injured or ill. Treatment must be provided to you until you are stable even if you cannot afford to pay for treatment.
