It is no secret that millions of Americans go with out health insurance because of high cost, and with the ongoing unemployment problems many families simple cannot afford coverage. Fortunately, MSN Money.com put together this helpful article with tips on how to find affordable health care. You can find a few of their tips below, but be sure to check out the full article at MSN Money.com.
If you're uninsured and seeking stopgap medical care before you find coverage again, you can triage your way to better health by understanding the trade-offs of several care options, experts say. A retail clinic, urgent care facility or community health center may be a suitable fit, depending on the severity of your medical need and your personal preferences.
A broad spectrum of care is available, from the limited offerings of a retail clinic to the high-end capacity of an emergency department, said Ateev Mehrotra, a policy analyst at Rand and a professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
"They're all places you don't need an appointment, there's open extended hours, and they're there to treat people who can't get in to see their regular provider," Mehrotra said.
If you have a regular doctor you'd like to keep seeing but fear you can't pay full price because of lost coverage, give the doctor a chance to work out a charity care arrangement, payment plan or possible treatment changes to lower costs, said Dr. Lori Heim, the president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, who practices in Laurinburg, N.C.
Most doctors will try to work with patients to ensure their continuity of care, she said. "Physicians also value that personal relationship that develops."
