FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS–IT’S GOING TO BE A BUMPY FLIGHT.
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Affordable Health Care Options For Portland’s Uninsured
Posted by admin in May 11th 2013
Being self-employed artists for nearly a decade, my husband and I know what it means to go without health insurance and health care. We practice preventative medicine such as exercising, eating healthy foods and taking vitamins, and we are both relatively healthy. Fortunately for us and many others like us, when we have had health-related problems, we are residents of Portland, Oregon. In Portland there exists a wealth of medical resources for low income families, from dentistry to chiropractics to alternative medicines. One such resource is The Coalition of Community Health Clinics, a group of 13 clinics that offer quality health care to Portland residents who are uninsured, underinsured and who would otherwise have no access to health care or necessary treatments. Most of the clinics bill patients on a sliding scale based on household income and many offer free emergency services for those who cannot afford to pay for medical care.
Here are just a few of the affordable options available to those who do not currently have health insurance or are underinsured:
The West Burnside Chiropractic Clinic is a teaching clinic of the Western States Chiropractic College, located in downtown Portland. They care for people with both acute and chronic musculoskeletal (back/neck) pain and the services are free or by donation. I discovered WBCC in 2005, while suffering from a herniated disc in my lower back. I was unable to sit for almost 6 months, and received treatment each week of that 6 months without charge. I continued to go for maintenance and flare-ups for the next few years. In 2008 I was back again with debilitating low back pain and, again, I received excellent care. This time, I was back to my old self within 6 weeks.
OHSU Family Medicine at Richmond is also a teaching clinic and is located in SE Portland. This clinic provides general medical services as well as chiropractic and acupuncture. Office visits for qualifying patients cost $25. Compare that to $120, which is what I paid the last time I took my child to a pediatrician for an ear infection!
The Outside In Medical Clinic, also located downtown, focuses mainly on Portland’s homeless youth and adults, as well as other low-income patients. They provide social, medical and mental health services, and a variety of disciplines including western, Chinese and naturopathic. They charge a $10 minimum sliding scale fee per visit.
The goal of The Coalition of Community Health Clinics is to improve access to quality health care for underserved populations in Portland and the surrounding area. For more information, please visit www.coalitionclinics.org.
Why did the Republicans keep their seats when Obama talked about health care in America?
Posted by admin in May 11th 2013
They have the best health care in the country (that WE pay for), why don’t Republicans want Americans to enjoy the same benefits?
What major should I take up in health care?
Posted by admin in May 8th 2013
I need some good advice. I’m currently working with a good health care company that provides tuition reimbursement but you have to major in something related to anything in health care and sign a commitment to work agreement. I don’t have a degree and I would like to take advantage of this situation but I don’t know what to study can anyone recommend anything?
Things about me: I don’t like school, I like working independently, I enjoy really expensive things so I need to make a lot of money.
is nursing hard?
Things about me: I don’t like school, I like working independently, I enjoy really expensive things so I need to make a lot of money.
is nursing hard?
How Much Does Health Insurance Cost?
Posted by admin in May 8th 2013
What factors affect the cost of your health insurance?
Age: Obviously, there is a link between your need for health services and your age. As you hit the age of fifty, typically, you start using health providers more and more. You may also notice, that health insurance premiums start taking larger jumps after the age of fifty.
Gender: Females will pay higher premiums than males. Is it because they use medical services more or is it because they need medical services more? Who knows the answer?
Current and Past Health: There is a correlation between your previous health conditions and your expectancy of future good health. Certainly, your current health issues will affect your premiums.
Where you live: Insurance rates vary depending on which state and even the county you reside in.
Type of plan: If you are going to compare insurance plans, make sure that you compare “apples with apples”. For example, compare PPO plans with PPO plans, not with HMO plans. Make sure that you are comparing “Major Medical’ plans with Major Medical plans, and not with any other type of plan.
“How much will the insurance cost?”
We will use Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina as an example: First, you obtain an online quote. This quote takes into account your age, location, and gender only. This online quote that does not take into account your current health situation. Certainly, you cannot expect that this quote will be representative of your situation unless you are of “standard health”.
Second: you can obtain a “final quote”. To do this, you will need to do an application. The quickest way to do this is online. However, if your computer skills are lacking, or your patience with computers is low, you should ask that the agent send you a paper application. (There is no application fee with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.) With the information from this application, they will provide you with a “final quote”.
Which plan should you choose?
The most important factor to consider is the monthly cost. You must be able to pay the premium month in and month out. Don’t burden yourself with a premium that you can’t maintain. You will have a choice of about thirty plans. Buy one of the middle plans. Don’t buy the most expensive plan, unless you know that you can afford it.
Don’t make the common mistake:
Many people find that the best plans are “too expensive”. Don’t think that because you cannot afford the plan that you “want”, that you shouldn’t buy any plan. Buy the least expensive plan, if you must, but buy a plan. Let’s say that the least expensive plan has a very high deductible of $10,000. Certainly, if you had a health crisis, you wouldn’t want to have to pay ten thousand dollars.
However, if you don’t have insurance, you will have a deductible that is much greater than ten thousand dollars. If you need bypass surgery, for example , which typically costs about $130,000, your $10,000 deductible will look a lot better. Another factor that is involved here, is that many people do not realize is that if you don’t have health insurance, and you need that bypass surgery, the hospital does not have to admit you unless it is a medical emergency! Needing bypass surgery is usually not a medical emergency.
Summary:
There are many factors that affect your health insurance premiums. The most important ones are age, gender, current and past health, where you reside, and type of plan. Choose one of the middle, more affordable plans. If you must, buy the least expensive plan…you need to be covered.
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can an employer cancel your health insurance while you are out on a disability?
Posted by admin in May 2nd 2013
I recently had rotator cuff surgery (6) weeks ago, currently in therapy and my employer said they are dropping the company health insurance. I have not been released by my doctor to return to work as of yet can they cancel my insurance while I am still under a doctor’s care?
