We know that life can be very unpredictable at times and no matter how much we try to anticipate obstacles and changes, there may be times that we find ourselves in unfamiliar territory, not knowing how to navigate the shift. With these changes sometimes come circumstances where one might find themselves without health insurance coverage for much needed medical care. It’s important to know where to go to try and find help with continued medical care needs.
If you’ve experienced some type of life change, like the loss of a job, moving to a new location, or getting married or having children and you find yourself uninsured, you may qualify to enroll in a Special Enrollment Period through the Health Insurance Marketplace to see if you can obtain healthcare coverage outside of the open enrollment deadline.
Local hospital systems sometimes offer financial assistance programs called ‘charity care’ to help those who are uninsured with medical costs accrued through the hospital. You can contact the hospital’s financial billing office for information on this assistance to see if you qualify to receive care from doctors and services provided through the hospital.
You can also try to access primary/general medical care follow up through federally qualified health centers in your area that work with individuals who are uninsured. These centers offer different services that include primary healthcare, dental care, women’s health services and routine immunizations, and physical exams. For those without insurance, a sliding fee scale payment option (based on your income and ability to pay for services) is sometimes available through the centers.
For possible help with medication costs, you can contact the manufacturer of the medication directly for information on any prescription cost assistance programs they provide. The MS Disease Modifying Therapies also have patient assistance programs that help uninsured clients by providing information and guidance for cost assistance they may qualify for with the treatment. By working with these different resources, uninsured individuals can try to continue maintaining their medical care and follow up.
