Medical care during health emergencies may strike any time to anybody of any age staying on any Location. from Richie Rich to Homeless anyone may fall ill due to uncertain whether condition, Infections, Accidents, parasites, bacteria’s, unhygienic environment, Low Nutritious food etc.
And in such needy situations, it may be challenging to find affordable Medical Care / Free Healthcare Facilities without having any insurance. But upon exploring following options may help any needy to get assistance in such emergency medical situations and not having insurance or bills paying capacity.
Can you get medical care if you don’t have health insurance?
Yes, you can get medical care if you don’t have health insurance or paying capacity.
Government health care facilities / Govt Registered Hospitals:
Yes, if you want to take any Basic medical facility, then you can visit nearest Government Healthcare centers where you can get treatment with minimum or free of charge and without any insurance. In fact, 85% of uninsured people in the United States reported that paying for healthcare was difficult in 2022. But fortunately, this government healthcare centers can help you to get medical care without insurance.
In the US hospital’s emergency rooms are mandatory to provide treatment for any insurance or Payment by considering the patient critical health situation.
Additionally, there are many medical facilities that provide routine medical care for the people who don’t have insurance and money for payment. They just need to inquire at the counters for the various options available for healthcare cost discount, EMI or Wave off of hospital bills.
Community Health Centers / Charitable Hospitals:
Government & Charity Funded Community Health Centers are such nonprofit health clinics which offers low cost or free health care for needy people. Often, their charges are very low in comparison with other private hospitals, and they also provide free hospital service upon receiving request and submitting proof of inability to pay.
Below are few services which may offered by your nearest community or charity health center:
1] Preventive healthcare
2] OPD or Basic Healthcare
3] FPS / family planning services
4] vaccinations
5] Critical care or chronic condition management
Few health centers service may include providing prescription medications and dental care with low price or free.
Institutions funded / operated by State or county’s Departments of Health / NHS etc.:
Every state and country provide healthcare facilities through their establishments, medical institutions etc. And people may approach them directly for a certain healthcare service especially critical diseases for eligible residents. Which may include Preventive care like vaccinations and health checkup.
For getting treatments you might need to register yourself in advance and provide proofs about your residency in that particular county or state for receiving free / discounted health care services.
You can also approach a Hospital Administration or Billing representative about Discounts in hospital bills, Grants in AID for medical care and possible cost reductions for people without insurance.
Pharmacy care clinics:
Pharmacies, including the pharmacies inside major national chains such as Walmart, often provide preventive care services for free. These services are normally provided during health clinics held on specific days.
Local Emergency Healthcare centers and Local Authority walk-in clinics:
Emergency healthcare centers and Local Authority funded walk-in clinics can offer a walk-in healthcare facility such as primary diagnostic and OPD services, and often without an appointment. these facilities offer low-cost health care for people who don’t have health insurance.
Services offered by Local walk-in clinics may be as below:
- Blood Pressure Checkup
- Blood Sugar Chcking
- Disease symptoms / sign’s checks
- Screenings for Certain Health Conditions
You can check with your local authority office for nearby Walkin clinics in your area for free / subsidized treatments.
Medical Study & Research Institutions:
Medical Study and research institutions are also operating a hospital so their students can get practice on real health scenarios under the guidance of expert doctors. Therefore, in such institutions patients are treated with free and low-cost healthcare services and low-cost health checkup and pharmacy facilities. Such institutions also may have a charitable division who may help such financially weak patients by seeking donations and grants for facilitating the medical treatment. They also guide patients to prepare documentation of their financial ineligibility for seeking medical treatment grants.
Employer-sponsored wellness programs and Employer Funded Hospitals:
Few employers offer free or subsidized wellness programs for their employees including annual health checkup, wellness camps, Gym Coupons, Medical Emergency fund etc. but few big organizations establish medical healthcare facilities which provide medical treatments to their employers and their family. Including few government departments & institutions. Such, Employer operated hospitals provide OPD, Basic Screening and medication, Ambulance facilities.
You can check in with your human resources department if you’re not sure what healthcare benefits are part of your employer’s wellness program.
The National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics:
You can use the website of National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics to search the free and low-cost medical facility and hospitals near you residing area to avail their healthcare services.
This association is specialized to provide best possible healthcare facilities to financially week, uninsured, underinsured needy people. And there are listing of 1,400 Healthcare facilities on the website of the association as of today.
Help paying for care:
If you need assistance paying for care, you have a handful of options:
State Funded Charity care Programs:
Some states have established their charity care fund to meet the subsidy and free medical care for low-income people. Qualifying people with the terms can receive the subsidized and free medical care facilities.
In certain states, government is issuing health cards by automated listing and screened from the applicants.
Medicaid Program:
Medicaid is a US Government scheme which provides healthcare to the people from lower income category. Each state department operates its own Medicaid program, maintain required funds and manage operations accordingly. Income limits for eligibility for the program of coverage may vary from state to state.
Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP):
The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is a federal program that provides healthcare for children. Just like Medicaid, qualifying for the program depends on income level. Each state sets its own income limits and coverage varies.
The Hill-Burton Program:
The Hill-Burton program provides funds is established in their partnering hospitals to facilitate low-cost health care facilities to low-income group people. more information on this program and eligibility is available on Health resource and Services Administration Website.
And one can approach for the Hill-Burton program at the time of admissions to the healthcare facility.
Aunt Bertha or Find Help Social Connect Service Program:
Aunt Bertha / Find Help is a social and human services database where one can find subsidized or free healthcare programs available in your locality area. Simply one has to enter the area ZIP code to find the nearby programs to meet their healthcare needs.
Help with Lowering Drug Cost with prescription:
Asking prescription drug costs low is a good way to lower your medical cost. Following are few options:
Prescription drug Manufacturer Subsidy programs:
The manufacturers of many prescription drugs offer various programs so the people can afford their medications. RXAssist is a data base program which can help to find such drugs and manufacturers database who provides such low-cost medication for a certain income group people.
GoodRx:
GoodRx is a web portal to see the prices of your medication available in your locality stores. It can also show prices at online and on e-mail ordering by pharmacies. And with comparing it you can choose the lowest price. GoodRx also helps to discount coupons by manufacturer.
Pharmacy memberships:
Walmart, CVS, and other pharmacies have membership programs so their regular consumer can save money with the discounts offered by them. By signing off those programs, can help to get discounted low-price medicines.
Charitable Foundations Health Funds:
Few charitable organizations also offer grants to meet the medical cost few as below:
The PAN Charitable Foundation:
The PAN Charitable Foundation helps uninsured people with low-income group and with a certain condition, who have received a diagnosis of a life threatening, chronic, or rare disease and pay for their medical facilities. details are available on PAN Foundation website.
The Health Well Foundation:
The Health Well Foundation help’s uninsured people of certain category people and with certain medical conditions to pay for their medical expenses.
Good Days:
Good Days is a social organization that help’s needy people with chronic and acute diseases by paying their medical costs.
Mat.org:
This is a social organization which help a needy people for their medical treatment upon application.
Benefits.gov:
It is a government funded organization which helps lower income families to get help for their medical air upon application and scrutiny.
USA.Gov/Benefits:
US Government website have available information regarding health and other facilities for lower income families and is very helpful.
Crowd Funding:
Along with digitization and social media influence brought the positive side of Grants and help to needy people including medical aid to needy people.
There are many crowds funding website serving in US to millions of people. And those can be easily approached by registering your need online. few of such crowd funding platforms are follows: Transparent Hands, Giveforward, Ketto, GoFundMe, Indiegogo, Crowdfunder, etc. which helps people to get Funds in aid for their medical treatments and can be easily approached. online also social media community portals like Facebook community, WhatsApp groups are also helped many people by funding upon sharing their story and needy situation on those online social media platforms. Because still there are billions of people in the world who believe “Whatever we give’s return back to us”
Other options for affordable care:
There are a few other options which can be explored to get access of free and low-cost healthcare facility as follows:
- There are few financial institutions which are associated with hospitals which helps by paying in instalments for the treatment. This can be inquired with the respective hospitals.
- One can search for a disease specific health care programs funded by various local organizations and philanthropy organizations.
- One can apply for low-cost health insurance from various startup health insurance companies.
- If you’re a Military of Police veteran, then you can apply for the VA Medical benefits related to health conditions funded by government.
- You can also sign up for clinical trials on various critical diseases with medical research organizations to study new treatments.
- You can also prefer available free telehealth facilities for non-critical health conditions.
Important FAQ’s regarding free medical aid:
When can I enroll in Medicaid?
Medicaid can be enrolled at any time. Just needy person has to check out the residing state’s Medicaid website for eligibility conditions.
What if I can’t pay an emergency room bill?
In an emergency, getting care is your No. 1 priority. But, this may leave you with a hefty bill, especially if incase not having health insurance. But, you should explain your financial conditions to doctors and staff of medical facility, So they can guide you on the best possible way.
Can I negotiate my Hospital Bills?
Yes, most of the time with Genuine reason hospital authorities provides discounts on medical bills upon asking about it. Hospital’s billing department may also help in working out a plan to get necessary financial aid. Also, there are many nonprofit organizations which are connected with the hospitals who may help you with medical treatment grants.
Can hospitals and healthcare professional may refuse for treatment in-case of not have insurance?
It’s illegal for a Healthcare facilities administration to refuse any type of health care in an emergency situation.
Conclusion:
You have options of receiving medical care even after not have health insurance and lower eligibility to pay. There are several programs and sources available to aid you for your healthcare treatment. And most of the information will receive on USA Govt website under benefits section.
Just one need to meet certain condition to qualify for these low cost and free healthcare programs.
Today there are many health insurance startups who can help to get a low-cost insurance for medical needs.
Hopefully, this article will be useful for getting a low-cost medical aid during medical emergency.
Thanks for visiting our website
Prashant V @Gymbag4you@gmail.com
