Protecting The Children: Free Health Insurance Coverage

Due to the rising cost of medical care and the faltering economy, there are more children today that are not covered by medical insurance than ever before. The federal government has implemented free health centers that will help to provide health care for individuals who do not have health insurance coverage. These centers are designed to allow individuals to pay based on their income and provide checkups, treatment, pregnancy care, immunizations, dental care and mental health services. In order to find these centers, individuals will need to either call or go online at their U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to find one in their area.

Other Options

If there is not a center in the area, there is also free health insurance coverage that is available to individuals based on their income. For those that live under the one hundred fifty percent of the Federal Poverty level, those families are usually eligible for coverage under Medicaid so that the family's medical needs are taken care of, including prescription drugs. Another free health insurance plan is now available in most states for those that are not eligible for Medicaid but still fall below two hundred percent of the Federal Poverty level. That means that for a four person family, if the total household income is below thirty-four thousand dollars, the children are usually eligible for these free health insurance coverage plans.

In order to get approved for the plan, an individual will have to fill out the application form that is provided by the state. This form contains all of the person's personal information, the information about the people in the family, and will require that documentation be supplied to prove the household income. Once all of the paperwork has been provided to the state, then the approval process begins to verify the information. Once approved, the free health insurance coverage begins; often back dating to the date the application was submitted to cover any medical costs in that time period. The plan usually works similarly to the state's health insurance plan that government workers are provided for their health care. This free health insurance coverage allows the children to have health care for their check ups, dental care, immunizations, hospitalizations, prescription drugs, and mental health care in most states. In some cases, the individuals will have to pay a minimal monthly fee for the plan, depending on their income, but it is still significantly less than they would have to pay for any other comprehensive health care plan for their child.