by Rhonda Buffington

Created on: February 01, 2010   Last Updated: January 20, 2011

Whether you are a single person or a family, losing your health insurance or just not able to afford it right now is stressful, especially for those with a chronic illness. For whatever reason, if you are currently unemployed or cannot afford health insurance, there are options and you might be eligible for one of the many programs that are available.

~~ Children ~~

Most states offer a free or low cost coverage for children who do not have health insurance. Call 877-543-7669 or visit www.insurekidsnow.gov for more information. If you are not eligible, ask if they know any other program that you may contact. It can be time consuming, but you may find some place that will help you get your medication or health care.

~~ Using Cobra to Extend Your Health Insurance ~~

If you lost your health insurance from an employer as the result of unemployment, divorce or death, you may be able to continue your coverage temporarily under COBRA. However, you will be responsible for paying the coverage under COBRA. In most cases, it comes with a hefty price, but it will keep your family covered in the event of an accident or other needed medical care. When you lose your group plan – due to one of the reasons listed above – they must give you at least 60 days to decide whether you wish to purchase the coverage.

If you have someone in your household who is not able to obtain health insurance coverage because of a health condition, check with your state to see if they offer an insurance pool to residents in this situation.

~~ Health Clinics ~~

Most areas have a Health Clinic available for low-income families. If you don’t have a clinic in your area, check with each county around your hometown. In most cases, they will accept you even if you are not a resident in that county. It won’t hurt to try.

~~ Prescriptions ~~

Pharmacies may charge widely different prices for the same medicine; so it is a good idea to comparison shop. You can also check the following links to see if your medication is on the generic list for a small monthly ($4) or 90 day ($10-15) supply.

If your prescription is not on the $4 list, you might qualify for one of the programs listed in the article “Free or reduced prescription drug programs.”

~~ Mail Order or Online Pharmacies ~~

You may also want to consider using a mail order or online pharmacy. An increasing number of consumers are replacing a trip to the pharmacy with a trip into cyberspace. Most mail order and online pharmacies often charge less. Do business only with a licensed U.S. pharmacy. To be sure you are dealing with a legitimate pharmacy, check with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy or call 847-391-4406 to determine if the site is licensed before ordering.

If you have not found help using these resources, continue asking government agencies, churches and everyone you see that may help direct you in the right direction to get some medical assistance.

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