Health Insurance for Low Income Families
Health insurance is very important to safeguard oneself and their family from issues related to health. Low-income families have less access to employer-sponsored insurance covers as compared to the higher-income groups. Health insurance is very important for every family and it would help get quality medical care. Health care costs are skyrocketing and these insurances would help one pay for the more serious and costly medical issues in future.
The government has tried to introduce affordable health insurance for families with insufficient income for health care. Different states offer the programs according to their state laws. The various affordable programs are given below.
Medicare
This insurance program is jointly funded by the state and the federal governments. This policy is available to senior citizens, children, low-income parents, unemployed individuals, and people with disabilities. One has to be a U.S. Citizen to become eligible for these policies. The other eligibility criteria depends not only on the income, but also the assets of the applicant.
Mediaid
Mediaid is jointly funded by the federal and state government. Senior citizens, pregnant women, people with disabilities, and blind people are eligible for this program. The policy covers outpatient hospital services, doctor’s visits, and long-term in-patient services.
State Children’s Health Insurance Programs(SCHIP)
This program was an effort to try to insure the health of every child in the U.S. Children can be eligible for either Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP programs of the state of residence, even if the parents are not eligible for Medicare or Medicaid.
Private Health Insurance Companies
There are many companies which offer health insurance coverage which are quite affordable. Many companies have family health insurance plans, which do not offer routine medical care, but protect the families financially in case of serious injury or illness.
Health Savings Accounts
These are savings accounts which can be used for expenses in case of medical care, prescription drugs, and over-the-counter medical supplies. They are used in conjunction with a high deductible health plan (HDHP).
Mini Medical Insurance
This policy may cover a pre-determined number of doctor visits, prescription medicines, daily hospital benefits, and limited accident coverage. The cost of this policy may be as low as $50 per month.
Health Maintenance Organization Plans (HMO)
This is a group health insurance plan. The medical care is provided through a network of doctors and medical facilities who work directly for the HMO. The person availing medical care under HMO has to make small co-payment at each visit. The annual premiums are slightly lower than the other insurances.
Low-income families can always visit the local social services and discuss the various options available. The government is trying hard to cover all the families in the low-income group. The standard of health care provided to low-income families has considerably improved over the years. The state and federal governments are trying their best to work together and introduce more policies so that health insurance are provided to all such families in America. It is always advisable to insure one’s family with a health plan that suits their budget. Thus, one would be able to ensure a better medical care for their loved ones.
