For those with no health insurance

[Pandora]

Another poster on the forum caused me to post this - due to their inability to obtain free medical in their area without certain conditions being met (minor, disability, married, income, etc).

There are many I'm sure, who do not have health insurance coverage, so - hopefully this link will be able to direct you to a clinic or place in your region that can assist you with everything from dr. visits, testing, labratory, RX meds, dental care, and pregnancy care.

http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/Search_HCC_byAddr.aspx

Also - even if you do have health insurance and RX coverage - its noteworthy that you can often get your RX's cheaper if you run them through without insurance believe it or not. Example: one of my son's asthma inhalers are $20 per puffer as our copay - BUT - if I take it to Wal-Mart and tell them to run it without insurance, the exact same puffer, exact same brand costs me $9.00! Dont ask me why - insurance even states they dont understand it, other than its the cost they deemed from the supplier. Same with cholesterol meds - ins cost for a 90 day supply is $40 - but I can get the same brand/dose from Wal-Mart without running insurance for $10 for a 90 day supply.

Double check every time you get your Rx's - it may be cheaper for you in the long run.

Hope it helps those that may need it.

[Willy13]

Thank you for that link

[mtngirl47]

We don't have insurance right now...can't afford the premiums. So I've taken to negotiating. Recently had to have a root canal...I called every dentist within a 25 mile radius and asked for a "cash" price...saved about $200.

Then, an unexpected trip to the emergency room. I was worried, as we had filed a hospital bill on our bankruptcy...no worries, they treated me. I wanted to pay that night and they looked at me like I was crazy! When I received the bill I called and asked them what they would take to pay it off that day...they reduced it by 50%. (Why can't they just bill you the "real" price?)

Also, found a general practitioner who has a nurse practitioner that we can see for normal stuff for half the price of seeing the doc. (the nurse does ob/gyn procedures too.)

What I learned from bankruptcy...shop for everything!

[JakeSmithson]

When I received the bill I called and asked them what they would take to pay it off that day...they reduced it by 50%. (Why can't they just bill you the "real" price?)

My guess would be because the other 50% is probably built in as cost to have to deal with the quagmire of paperwork (and headaches) for insurance companies. The hospital probably got the 'real' payment from you and avoided having to deal with insurance.

To me, that's a win-win and how it used to be back in the 50's & 60's. I don't know how old you are, but I remember when the doc made house calls.

That's the system we need to get back to.