From the moment a child enters this world they will need medical care to ensure their health and well being. In an ideal setting one or both parents will have employment which provides adequate Health Insurance for the family including their newborn. Unfortunately, that is not always the case and new parents may need to look for alternatives to make sure their child receives the medical attention they deserve.
In America today, tens of millions of families do not have access to adequate Health Insurance either because they do not have gainful employment or their current employer does not offer Health Insurance coverage. As a result, roughly one in eight children do not have access to the medical attention they so desperately need. If your child falls into this category you may need to look for alternatives to standard Health Insurance.
Fortunately, there are social safety nets which can provide affordable or no cost Health Insurance for your child and family. The government funded and state run Medicaid System is the most comprehensive option for families with children to receive free or subsidized Health Insurance. In order to qualify, your family must be considered low income as well as meeting other requirements determined by your state. Each state may have different guidelines so it is necessary to contact your state's Medicaid office to get the process started. One such requirement is that a family's income is at or below one hundred and thirty three percent of the federally designated poverty income level.
An alternative if you and your child do not qualify for state run Medicaid is to apply for the Children's Health Insurance Program otherwise known as CHIP. Many parents may have fulltime employment but are not afforded adequate Health Insurance and in these situations their children may still qualify for CHIP. Your state's government run web site will include additional information for determining if you qualify for CHIP as well as contact information such as phone numbers and online forms to initiate the process.
The above options are Federal and state run programs to provide Health Insurance for families and children but there are often free alternatives such as local clinics run by nonprofits or the state health department. Free local health clinics are an excellent way to receive basic medical treatment as well as childhood immunization shots to maintain your child's health. Most of the medical services will charge patients based on their household income. This is called a sliding scale which is based on the patient's ability to pay.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act also known as Obamacare, has made it significantly easier for low income families to acquire affordable Health Insurance in states that expanded Medicaid. As a result, millions of American families have been able to acquire affordable or no cost of health coverage for them and their children. Also, be sure to question family, friends, and coworkers about what they have in terms of Health Insurance as this may open up additional possibilities.
Finally, as the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The best ways to minimize the need for child medical treatment is to ensure access to healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, maintain a proper weight for their age, and get plenty of regular exercise. By taking these steps you can help your child have a happy and healthy childhood focusing more on learning and growing instead of tackling preventable health problems.