A few other suggestions to add to what has already been said:

Many communities are served by a local United Way chapter.  Local chapters create and maintain community resource directories, with information about health and human services that are available in the community, including low-cost and free services.  If you call them, they should be able to send you a print directory or refer you to a local web directory.

You may also want to contact private insurers and inquire about catastrophic-only coverage, which is more affordable and may help avoid the bankruptcy issue.

If you've had insurance coverage recently through a former employer, you may be eligible for COBRA - which is likely to be expensive but at least offers continuous coverage and will help avoid pre-existing conditions exclusions.

Finally, for anyone with children, all states offer child health insurance coverage for kids (ages 0-18).  This program serves families who don' t qualify for Medicaid because their income exceeds eligibility requirements, but who cannot afford private insurance.  Your local health department, community health center, department of social services, etc. should be able to provide more information about enrollment (it's often called SCHIP - State Children's Health Insurance Plan).  Sandy



----- Original Message -----
From: Susan Hayden 
Date: Friday, October 20, 2006 11:41 am
Subject: [WomenLiteracy 605] Re: Health Insurance
To: The Women and Literacy Discussion List 


> Before you think of try the credit card idea, be sure to check 

> on the news laws for bankruptcy. The laws changed in early 

> 2006, and it is not as easy to file a Chapter 7 which allows 

> your bills to "go away". 

> Local health care clinics will be your best bet for a mammogram, 

> call your state's department of health for locations and various 

> programs. Hospitals on the payment plan will take care of x-

> rays and other emergencies, just be prepared for a long wait.

> Good luck. The sad reality is the American health care system 

> is failing miserably for all of us. 

> Susan Hayden

> Adult Services Library Consultant

> West Virginia Library Commission

> 1900 Kanawha BLVD, East

> Charleston, WV 25305

> haydens at wvlc.lib.wv.us

> 304-558-3978, ext. 2014

> FAX: 304-558-1612

> ----- Original Message ----- 

> From: Bertha Mo 

> To: The Women and Literacy Discussion List 

> Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2006 11:59 PM

> Subject: [WomenLiteracy 601] Re: Health Insurance

> 

> 

> I used to live in San Francisco and an organization called 

> Public Media that was housed at Fort Mason permitted people such 

> as yourself to sign onto their Kaiser Plan. In many areas, I 

> was just working in Upstate NY, local groups organized a free 

> mamography program for low income folks. I think you need a 

> mamogram every other year if you don't have symptoms or family 

> history.

> If you have an accident the local emergency room will see you 

> and give you an x-ray and have you pay as you can.

> 

> Bertie Mo

> 

> "Muro, Andres" wrote:

> Usually the county hospital or community health clinics will 

> provide these services. If you get injured, you are entitled to 

> go to an emergency room, get seen and then pay in installment. 

> If there is a county hospital, they will probably work with you 

> on reasonable payments, etc.

> 

> For mammograms you can probably go to a local health clinic 

> for the indigent. Find the poor neighborhood in your community 

> and ask where the health clinic is. Sign up and you'll get seen. 

> They probably provide breast exams, pap smears, glucose tests, 

> CV screenings, etc. You may have to pay a fee. 

> 

> If you have an expensive disease, get a bunch or credit 

> cards. American express usually gives you a no limit account. 

> Spent them to the limit and declare bankruptcy. 

> 

> As far as free or inexpensive health insurance, there is no 

> such thing anymore, even for people in full time employment. 

> There are huge deductibles, for everything except primary care. 

> 

> Andres 

> 

> 

> -----------------------------------------------------------------

> -----------

> 

> From: womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:womenliteracy-

> bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Lynne Feinberg

> Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2006 1:01 PM

> To: womenliteracy at nifl.gov

> Subject: [WomenLiteracy 597] Health Insurance

> 

> I have asked at the schools, I have contacted the union 

> (MCCC), I have contacted TESOL. I have Googled everything I can 

> think of Googling. I can't bring myself to believe that there 

> is nothing available, and I know I am not alone in this 

> situation. Does anyone have any ideas for a single, 

> hardworking, low-paid but otherwise not unhappy adjunct 

> community college ESL instructor seeking health insurance? 

> Something I can afford that will allow me to get a yearly 

> mammogram, and an x-ray in case I fall off my bicycle. Here's 

> hoping, and in the meantime feeling much too vulnerable. 

> 

> Thank you,

> Lynne Feinberg

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Women and Literacy mailing list

> WomenLiteracy at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please 

> go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/womenliteracy

> 

> 

> 

> 

> -----------------------------------------------------------------

> -------------

> 

> 

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Women and Literacy mailing list

> WomenLiteracy at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go 

> to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/womenliteracy

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/womenliteracy/attachments/20061020/d800466a/attachment.html