Advances in medical technology have made it easier for doctors to prevent and treat most sicknesses from strep throat to serious diseases. But millions of Americans miss out on these advances simply because they don't have health insurance and can't afford to pay for medical care out of their own pocket.
Health insurance protects you and your family from the high cost of medical care. The majority of Americans (about 60 percent) are lucky enough to get health insurance through their jobs. Others can afford to purchase health insurance on their own. But about 1 out of every 6 Americans is uninsured and, as a result, often can't access doctors and medical tests. This can lead to even bigger medical problems and serious illnesses. In fact, more than half of uninsured adults don't see a doctor or get care regularly, which results in tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths, according to the Institute of Medicine.
If you are uninsured, don't panic. You're not alone and there are publicly available resources that may help you and your family. You just need to know how to find them.
Finding Health Insurance
Plan for Your Health is providing Insure Your Health: A State-by-State Guide to Finding Free or Low-Cost Health Insurance Programs. This guide gives you what you need to know, all in one place:
- Easy-to-understand information on health insurance basics
- A glossary to help you understand common health insurance terms that relate to finding health insurance if you are uninsured. Many of these terms are bolded throughout the guide and defined in the glossary. If you don't know what one means, open the glossary to find out.
- An overview of the major federal and state-sponsored programs for the uninsured
- Information on finding individual health insurance
- Information on the programs in your state that offer insurance, including contact information. Click on your state in the right-hand column to view information on the programs it offers.
Click here to get a free copy of Insure Your Health in the mail or click here to view a PDF of the guide.
Act Now to Find Out About Programs in Your State
It may take time to determine if you are eligible for coverage, so call the organizations in your state or go online now to see if you qualify for their insurance and to find answers to your questions. The sooner you find the program that's right for you, the sooner you'll get the health insurance you need.
When you call, be sure to ask if there are other available resources. Even if you don't qualify for the program you're looking into, there might be other options that may help you. Each program is different, but it might be helpful to have the following information handy before you start making calls or visiting websites:
- Social security numbers (for yourself and your family members)
- Birth dates
- Number of people in your household
- Income
- Total assets
- Proof of citizenship or immigration status
- General health and hospitalization information
Insure Your Health is one way that Aetna and Magic Johnson Enterprises are joining together to make our communities healthier. Learn more at www.communityvitality.com.