The Washington Post carried a column yesterday, October 21, 2006 by
Michelle Singletary who usually has very good advice on personal
finances. She lists several sources that might be consulted in looking
around for health insurance, including buying your own.  The URL is
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/21/AR200610
2100121_2.html. Title: Before you Get Sick, Shop Around. 
 
Dora Johnson




________________________________

	From: womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Lynne Feinberg
	Sent: Monday, October 23, 2006 10:24 AM
	To: The Women and Literacy Discussion List
	Subject: [WomenLiteracy 614] Re: Health Insurance
	
	
	Thanks very much for your input about health insurance.  No
question about it - it's a very sad and screwed-up situation for many in
this country.  Again thanks.
	Lynne
	
	
	On 10/20/06, sandra_diehl at med.unc.edu <sandra_diehl at med.unc.edu>
wrote: 

		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- <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
		> ----------------------------------------------------
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		> Women and Literacy mailing list
		> WomenLiteracy at nifl.gov
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		> 
		> 
		> 
		>
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