It’s no secret that there are roughly 46 million uninsured Americans. In light of the current economic crisis the number of uninsured is expected to steadily increase in the coming years.  Lack of health insurance can mean financial ruin and extended periods of poverty for those who suffer from a sudden illness or injury.  Visit  Voice For the Uninsured (http://voicefortheuninsured.org/) to hear about the real experiences of Americans who found themselves unable to pay their medical bills.

So if you are not currently insured or suspect in the near future you might be, what should you do?  Aside from using COBRA benefits for as long as you can afford to, there are three other steps you can take to protect yourself from unnecessary medical bills.  

Step 1:  Get And Stay Healthy

This one sounds like a no-brainer but the sad fact is many Americans find themselves seeking medical care for conditions that can be prevented and managed with diet and exercise. Obesity is second only to smoking as a leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Obesity is defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 30 and approximately 30% of Americans are considered obese.  Excess weight and inactivity can put people at risk for heart disease, cancer, strokes, and diabetes. Being proactive about your health and making appropriate lifestyle changes can prevent not only the financial strain of illness but a decreased quality of life.  

Step 2:  Go The Alternate Route
 
Complementary and Alternative Medicine are very often a cost effective solution for treating health problems. Alternative Medicine really isn’t new or alternative. These modalities are based on medical systems thousand of years old and focus on treating the whole body and preventing disease.  The western based medical models tend to treat only symptoms of disease rather than finding and alleviating the cause.  Treatments like Acupuncture, Massage, Holistic Nutrition, Chiropractic, and even Aromatherapy can range from $35-$100 per session depending on where you live and the practitioner you choose.

Compare that to paying hundreds of dollars a month for insurance to see a doctor who may do nothing more than prescribe drugs for your problem.  The key to getting the most out of alternative medicine is to do your research and become a smart consumer.  A good resource is the National Institute of Health (http://nccam.nih.gov/) with lots of non-commercial, research based information. 

Step 3:  Get Connected

Staying healthy and using holistic medicine are great but won’t be much help in an emergency. It’s important to find and get informed about what local resources might be available if you need urgent medical care.  Most hospitals offer some type of charity care system that provides assistance with either all or part of your medical bills should you need help and meet income requirements.  Don’t assume that you are not eligible. Ask. The majority of hospitals will not tell you that this kind of option is available so it’s up to patients to be informed. 

Get familiar with local health based charity organizations to find out what kind of assistance they offer. Look into national Organizations like Direct Relief.org (http://www.directrelief.org/WhereWeWork.aspx.)  They offer help with prescription medicines in 46 states, and operate clinics in 6 states.  Being informed about your options BEFORE an emergency will not only prevent stress and anxiety but could help you reduce your financial obligation once the dust has cleared. Unfortunately there is no 100% solution to this problem.  Being healthy and informed are the most important things you can do to keep your body and bank account healthy.   

Think your situation is bad?  Read about this doctor who can’t afford health insurance.  
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/health/2008/10/cover-america-t.html

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Further Reading

• Do You Need an Elder Care Attorney? (1)
• Illegal Medical Bills and How to Fight Them (1)
• Cheap Ways to Fight Off Allergies (1)
• Pamper Yourself For Less (0)
• 8 At-Home Fitness Finds Under $25 (0)

Tags: health, Uninsured

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 15th, 2008 at 11:03 am and is filed under Budget. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.