Health Insurance for Low Income Families

Health insurance is one of the fastest rising (if not the fastest) costs today in the average family's expenses. One report even said that health insurance has now eclipsed the mortgage as the single largest monthly expense in the average family! As a result of the meteoric rise in health insurance premiums, low income families are all but being left out in the cold with respect to health insurance.

If you find yourself in this bracket, though, don't despair because the situation is getting better. Now, there are several options available to make sure that health problems don't wind up destroying what's left of your family finances. Let's take a close look at the options available to you.

Today, there are more than 30 states that offer "high risk" pools for those who cannot afford traditional health insurance plans. Each state has its own requirements with respect to income guidelines and other eligibility criteria to determine who is qualified to receive health insurance assistance through these pools. If you feel you might be eligible, check with your state's insurance commission office to get a copy of the guidelines and application for assistance.

Another option that is available through the federal government to families in all 50 states is Medicaid. The program is administered through each state according to federal guidelines. All states will have some minimum coverage they must provide in order to be funded by the federal government such as in and outpatient hospital coverage and doctor visits. Each state also has optional coverage it may provide. One such coverage that is provided by all 50 states is prescription drug coverage. Check with your local Medicaid office to determine your eligibility status.

Other health coverage that may be available to low income families include prescription assistance offered through pharmaceutical companies, and the S-Chip program offered by the federal government. For more information on these programs, do an Internet search for them or look at other pages on this site.

In conclusion, although health care costs have risen dramatically throughout the last decade and look to continue on in the same vein, all is not lost if you cannot afford coverage on your own. More and more states are recognizing the need to cover that gap, so chances are there is some program available to help you get health coverage of some kind. Don't take the chance of having health problems ruin your financial life, get covered today even if think you can't afford it. Your family is too important to risk!