If you find yourself without medical insurance and coming down with some type of sickness, it can be a particularly intimidating experience. While going without health insurance is not recommended, there are some steps that you can take if you find yourself without coverage and you come down with an illness.
Free Clinics
When you have no insurance, you may want to start searching for free clinics in your area. Many areas have free clinics or health departments where you can get basic medical services. These clinics sometimes provide doctor visits for free, and if not, you may have to pay only a minimal fee. The problem with these clinics is that they are often crowded and it can be difficult to get an appointment. If you can get past that hurdle, they can help you get the treatment you need.
Generic Prescriptions
When you do not have any medical insurance to help you cover the costs of prescription drugs, your bill at the pharmacy can get expensive quickly. If you get a prescription for your sickness from the doctor, you may want to consider asking the pharmacist if you can get a generic brand instead. Many large chains offer generic prescriptions for as little as $4. This could save you a substantial amount of money if you have to get several medicines.
Negotiation
If you have a serious medical condition and you have to get a great deal of medical treatment, you may need to negotiate the best deal. For example, if you have to have some kind of surgery, you can often negotiate the price of the procedure down. Let the hospital know that you will be paying cash immediately after the procedure is completed. By negotiating, you can often get the price down to a much more reasonable figure. Some hospitals will reduce the price by 50 percent or more.
Discount Plans
Even though you may not be able to get insurance after you are already sick, you can generally get a discount plan. A medical discount plan is similar to insurance except that you only get a discount on the services provided. You can get online and sign up for a medical plan and be covered instantly. You show your medical discount card to the provider and then you have to pay cash for the service. This can net you discounts of up to 70 percent in some cases.
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