Friday, December 26, 2008

Alternatives To Not Having Health Insurance In Texas

By Jordan FeRoss

There are people that reside in the great state of Texas that still cannot get or find health insurance. It is very important to have health insurance in Texas for various reasons. However, there's no need to despair. There are alternative resources that you can use to get some kind of help with your health care.

Texas has a great regional clinic system for people experiencing injuries or illness that isn't emergencies and most accept patients without health insurance. These clinics offer high-quality medical care at discounted rates (often a sliding scale based on income), making them an affordable alternative to a hospital emergency room or doctor's office. Online searches will yield the names and locations of Texas' regional clinics, for those lacking health insurance in Texas.

People without health insurance in Texas may be able to qualify for special assistance if they are admitted to the hospital. There are many non-profit organizations that provide help with hospital bills to those in need. Since most hospitals are also non-profit organizations, many of them are able to work with you to lower your bill and make payment arrangements that are manageable for your budget.

Some hospitals even have special programs in place to help with financial assistance and a social worker may be on staff to help you. Even the government has programs created to help people without health insurance in Texas. Some of these hospitals even have their own financial aid counselors and advocates there just to help you. They may reduce your bill, help with forms for aid and devise a workable payment solution. Since you don't have health insurance in Texas, you will have to take extra steps to allow you to pay off the debt.

Prescription drugs can be quite expensive and a large concern if you are without health insurance in Texas, or anywhere else for that matter. You will want to check out the special programs that are designed exclusively to help with prescription drug expenses. You can find more information about these programs online. Of course, by choosing generic drugs whenever possible you may be able to afford the cost on your own.

Living without health insurance in Texas is difficult, but not impossible to overcome. It is possible to get medical attention and prescription drugs at a discounted rate. Even the drug companies themselves, have programs in place to help uninsured people afford their medications. For example, Pfizer and Merck both have programs in place to assist uninsured people in getting their medications.

If you are a veteran and don't have health insurance in Texas, you may be able to get medical care by going to one of the VA's medical facilities. The requirements for this are if you served on active duty and received either a general or honorable discharge. You will have to contact the VA facility in your area to get additional information. - 15275

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