How to get Health Insurance for the Uninsured

Health Insurance Uninsured

It may seem impossible to get health insurance for the uninsured person but that is often not true. You may have no job, be uninsurable due to poor health, or don't have money for the premium but none of those need to stop you from getting coverage. If you follow these steps, you have a good shot at getting health insurance for the uninsured.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. If you are healthy but don't have coverage, get a low cost policy easily by looking online. None of the other options listed here will be as cheap for people in good health. If you are not in good health, nearly all health insurers will raise your premiums or deny you coverage altogether unless you go through a group or government plan.

2. Get another job that has health benefits, especially with an employer that will pay a portion (or all) of the monthly premiums. Unfortunately, this is the most popular and easiest way for most Americans to secure coverage.

3. Apply for COBRA health coverage from your old employer. As of 2009, you can get a 60% subsidy on the COBRA premiums, which makes it much cheaper to get health coverage for the uninsured. Your COBRA coverage will be the same as during your job. Contact your former employer for more information and eligibility.

4. Look at your state's Medicaid program. You have to be very poor both income and asset-wise to get Medicaid. Contact your county or state social services agency to begin the application process. Typically Medicaid can't be done neither quickly nor online so start the process as soon as you can.

5. If eligible, apply for Medicare, which is the federal government's universal health care program for the old and disabled. For most people, you have to be over age 65 or be getting Social Security disability.

6. You can get health insurance for uninsured children through your state's child health insurance program, which is from the federally funded SCHIP program (State Children's Health Insurance Program).

7. Become a student at a college or university. Many colleges, including community colleges allow their students and their families to get health coverage. Community colleges, which admit almost everybody, is a great way to get health insurance for the uninsured.

8. Look into your state's high risk pool to get health insurance for the uninsured. If there is a waiting list, sign up ASAP to get the clock started.

9. If you are truly ineligible for all of the above, you can try to live without coverage and go all cash.

   For example, drug makers have discount programs for those without health coverage or those with low income. At some doctor's offices, you can haggle for a lower cash price. And with prescriptions, prices can vary greatly depending on whether you fill them online or not.

   If possible, always ask any hospital you go to about their financial assistance program for the uninsured. Financial assistance programs are much more common in public state and county hospitals than in private hospitals. For example, public hospitals will often give patients with little or no income or assets free health care, from office visits, drugs, and even surgeries. If you have a serious and expensive illness but a low wage job with no coverage or lousy coverage, you may be better off quitting the job and applying for financial assistance from your local public hospital than trying to get health insurance as an uninsured.

Resources

• The Complete Guide to Medical Care for the Uninsured