Unfortunately, if you have no health insurance coverage, you are in a very precarious position these days. Most doctors, hospitals, and other medical providers will refuse to treat you if you do not have health insurance or the ability to pay your bill in full at the time of service. Your average person is not in a position to do this if a serious or chronic condition develops.

Here are a few suggestions, but nothing is truly ideal.

1. Get a job that provides group health insurance.

One of the best things you can do is to get a job which provides health insurance benefits. Generally, employer-sponsored group health insurance plans cannot deny coverage to an employee based on their medical history.

If you do not want to continue working for whatever reason, at least work long enough for the insurance to take effect. Then when you leave the company, you have the option through COBRA insurance to continue your coverage for up to 18 months. There are some people who do this on a recurring basis, especially if they have a chronic condition such as diabetes.

2. Join an organization that provides group health insurance.

If you belong to a professional or social organization, see if they offer any type of health insurance plan. If you don't belong to one, see if you qualify to belong to one that offers this type of benefit. An example of a group is the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). You can become a member if you are 50 years old and they offer various types of group health insurance plans.

There are also some religious organizations that have set up their own health insurance-type plans. Members contribute a premium every month and any submitted medical bills are paid from the premium pool. Often, there are some pre-existing limitations but it may still be a good option for you.

3. Enroll in a guaranteed issue basic or limited health insurance plan.

Another method you can use is to enroll in a basic or limited health insurance plan. These plans do not provide a lot of coverage but they can help to defray your medical costs. It is usually much easier to be approved for this type of plan; some of them guarantee coverage to everyone. Although the services are limited, they are better than no coverage at all.

4. Enroll in a medical discount plan.

There are many different types of medical discount plans which advertise that you can visit doctors in their networks and pay negotiated rates. This works similar to a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO). This may be a good option if your area has a large amount of participating providers. However, in general, you are required to pay your portion of the bill at the time of service. With a large service such as a hospital stay, this can be more than the average person has available.

5. See if you qualify for public assistance.

If you make under a certain amount of income or suffer from certain health conditions, you may qualify for Medicaid in your state. Some states provide coverage for minor children even though normal healthy adults are not usually covered.

There are also state health insurance pools for high-risk people. In these cases, you pay a fairly high premium but you are guaranteed coverage through the state. There may still be some pre-existing restrictions but this is better than no coverage if you anticipate ongoing medical bills.

6. Use public hospitals and clinics.

Most cities have a public hospital and clinic where you can receive treatment based on your ability to pay. Usually, they treat you and set up a payment plan if you cannot pay in full. Again, this varies depending on where you live.

Be on the lookout for free clinics or discount clinics. Many religious organizations are also starting some of these to help people without health insurance.

7. Visit drug store clinics.

Some drug stores are now offering clinics that treat non-complicated illnesses such as colds and minor infections. You will have to pay the full cost if you don't have health insurance. However, they are generally more economical than going to a hospital emergency room.

Steven D. Smith is a licensed life and health insurance professional and CEO of SDS Financial, LLC.  He is also the author of the “ 2008 Guide to Choosing and Using Your Health Insurance Plan” and “ Your Guide To Good Health Insurance”.  Other articles and books about Health Insurance written by Steven Smith can be found at his website www.AvoidingBadHealthInsurance.com  

Source: http://www.AvoidingBadHealthInsurance.com

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