Can I Get Treatment if I Have No Health Insurance?

According to a 2010 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during the past decade, the number of American adults who are uninsured for at least some part of the year has continued to rise by an average of 1.1 million people annually. Individual health plans compound the problem by rejecting applicants for pre-existing health conditions. If employer-sponsored group health insurance isn't an option, there are some other alternatives you can pursue.

Federally Funded Health Centers

• There are federally funded health centers available (see Resources) in most cities and many rural areas that provide health care even if you have no health insurance. Payment for services is based on your income. These health centers provide pregnancy care, medical treatment when you are sick, and immunizations and wellness checkups for children. Dental care, prescription drugs, and mental health and substance abuse treatment programs are also offered.

Negotiate the Cost of Care

• One option people often fail to consider when they have no health insurance is negotiating with doctors and hospitals over the cost of care. If you don't have health insurance but need medical care, you have nothing to lose by asking your health care provider to lower the cost for the services you need. Be direct and explain that you have no health insurance and need some financial assistance. Some providers are willing to offer you a discount if they know you are paying out-of-pocket. Others may at least offer you a payment plan over time.

EMTALA

• The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), which is part of the Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act (COBRA), mandates that no one who arrives at a hospital with an emergency condition can be turned away. Hospitals are required to screen all patients and if a person's condition is determined to be a medical emergency, the hospital must stabilize the patient. Although hospitals have the right to ask patients if they can pay, a hospital cannot base its decision on whether to treat a patient on the person's ability to pay. On the other hand, a hospital is under no obligation to treat a patient if an emergency condition does not exist.

Government Assistance

• Medicaid is a federally funded program created to cover health care costs for low-income individuals and families. Each state determines how funds are distributed and sets its own income eligibility guidelines. The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is another government program that provides health insurance coverage to children. Like Medicaid, the program is funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services but each state is responsible for administering its own program.