- Artist’s Health Insurance Resource Center. An excellent online resource for finding leads to affordable, quality health insurance in your area is the Artist’s Health Insurance Resource Center (AHIRC) [www.ahirc.org].
- Cover the Uninsured Guide to Finding Health Insurance in Your State. Another excellent source of leads to health care options in your area is the state-by-state information page of the “Cover the Uninsured Week” Web site at www.covertheuninsuredweek.org/stateguides. Available in both Spanish and English.
- Insure Kids Now! Your children may be eligible for free- or low-cost health insurance coverage. Visit www.insurekidsnow.gov, or call toll-free 1-877-KIDS-NOW (1-877-543-7669).
- BenefitsCheckUp is a free, Web-based service designed to help patients, their families, caregivers and community organizations determine what benefits they qualify for and how to claim them. An online questionnaire is filled out, and a personalized report is issued within 15 minutes. Visit the Web site: www.benefitscheckup.org
- The Access to Benefits Coalition is a public-private partnership dedicated to helping low-income beneficiaries learn about and make wise choices regarding new Medicare prescription drug benefits and other available, money-saving resources. Visit the Web site: www.accesstobenefits.org, or call: 202-479-6670.
- Find out if you are covered under COBRA. Under a federal law called COBRA (the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act), employers (with at least 20 employees) must offer former employees, retirees, spouses, widowed spouses, separated or divorced spouses of current employees, and dependent children the right to temporary continuation of health coverage at group rates. For more information on eligibility and rights under the COBRA act, visit www.cobrainsurance.com.
- America’s Health Insurance Plans While buying your own health insurance is usually the most costly option for the amount of coverage provided, it is still an option. For tips and more information on getting insured, visit the America’s Health Insurance Plan’s Web site at www.ahip.org or call them at 202-778-3200.
- National Women’s Health Resource Center (NWHRC). www.healthywomen.org Our Web site provides a more complete listing of national organizations dealing with health insurance and consumer health issues. Click here to read the health insurance topic at www.healthywomen.org.
- American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). www.aarp.org A nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization for people age 50 and over, providing a wide range of benefits, special products and services, including discounts on prescription drugs.
- Consumer Guides for Getting and Keeping Health Insurance. www.healthinsuranceinfo.net Produces online consumer guides written specifically for each state and the District of Columbia; a resource if you are having legal trouble getting or keeping health care, or if you have a dispute with your health care provider.
- America’s Health Insurance Plans. www.ahip.org Offers a variety of insurance-related resources for consumers, including a series of consumer guides on various types of insurance: health insurance, managed care, long-term care, disability and special guides for business owners.
- eHealth Insurance is a free web site that lets viewers get free quotes online and compare insurance plans from over 175 leading health insurance companies nationwide.
- Your State Medical Assistance Program Most state medical assistance programs will provide some level of healthcare funding assistance even if you do not qualify for Medicaid under the economic criteria. Several states have supplemental programs for patients who do not qualify economically. For a list of all state medical assistance websites see the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) Website at: http://www.nahu.org/. The NAHU website is an excellent source for information on health insurance choices and information.
- Federal Healthcare Tax Credit Program The Federal Healthcare Tax Credit Program (HCTC) provides a refundable tax credit to help eligible individuals purchase health insurance from a number of different sources. Those who have suffered a job loss due to a trade-related event and those who receive pension benefits from the federal Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation are eligible. For more information, go to the following website: www.nahu.org/consumer/
- Insure Your Health 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.
