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Health Insurance (MedlinePlus)
Here, MedlinePlus, the consumer resource from the National Library of Medicine provides information on health insurance, including different types of insurance, understanding what insurance covers, how to optimize your benefits, getting coverage for medically uninsurable individuals, how to appeal a denial of your claim, COBRA continuation of coverage, and many other topics related to insurance coverage.

Health Insurance Planning (America’s Health Insurance Plans)
America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) is the national association representing nearly 1,300 member companies providing health insurance coverage to more than 200 million Americans. This resource offers visitors access to a variety of insurance products designed to help them manage their healthcare coverage decisions and a national directory (locator) of health insurance plans that is the most comprehensive online web compilation of health plans. It also includes Consumer Guides that address health insurance, managed care, long-term care, disability, and issues for business owners as well as Health Insurance Plan Links to a comprehensive list of companies that provide coverage.

Insure U (National Association of Insurance Commissioners)
This resource created by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), the organization of insurance regulators from the 50 states, provides consumer insurance information for those considering or buying insurance. It offers a curriculum that includes a section on health insurance customized according to your life stage. This website also provides a link to the individual State Insurance Departments that provide a wealth of regionally relevant insurance-related information.

Consumer Guides for Getting and Keeping Health Insurance
These Guides have been created by the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute to provide consumers in each state and the District of Columbia guidance on how to get and keep their health insurance.

Find Affordable Health Care (Health Resources and Services Administration)
This resource is offered by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). It directs you to local HRSA-supported health centers, where even if you have no health insurance, you can get care. You pay what you can afford, based on your income.

Hill-Burton Free and Reduced Cost Health Care
Congress passed a law in 1946 that gave certain hospitals, nursing homes and other health facilities grants and loans for construction and modernization on condition that they would provide free or reduced-cost services to persons residing in the facility’s area who were unable to pay. While the program stopped providing funds in 1997, about 300 health care facilities nationwide are still obligated to provide free or reduced-cost care. This resource provides information about Hill-Burton care and identifies the obligated facilities.

Medicaid
Medicaid is a program available to certain low-income and limited resource individuals and families, as well as those who fit into specific eligibility groups. The program is administered by each state, which sets its own guidelines regarding eligibility and services. This is the webpage offered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that provides a list of resources regarding Medicaid.

Medicare
This is the official government site for people with Medicare, which covers people age 65 or older, some disabled people under age 65, and people of all ages with End-Stage Renal Disease. Their website provides a comprehensive list of resources and tools including those that help you find and/or compare a list of Medicare health plans, providers and hospitals in your geographic area. It also provides a legally-mandated ombudsman service with general and local numbers you can call to help you navigate the Medicare process.

Insure Kids Now (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services )
A program from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services designed to promote enrollment in State Child Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP) for uninsured children 18 years old and younger, whose families earn up to $34,100 a year (for a family of four), variable by state. The resource presents the index of available programs by state.

Health Plan Report Card (National Committee for Quality Assurance)
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) is a private nonprofit organization that sets standards for the quality of care and service for health plans and provides NCQA accreditation, nationally recognized as a seal of approval for plans that meet their standards. This link to their Health Plan Report Card takes you to an interactive tool designed to help you compare health plans around questions such as, “Does the plan give good customer service? Will I have access to care I need? Does the plan check doctors’ qualifications? If I get sick, which plan will take better care of me?”

Patient Advocate Foundation
The Patient Advocate Foundation is a national non-profit organization dedicated to helping patients with life threatening and debilitating conditions solve insurance and healthcare access problems. The foundation offers various programs, resources and case management support to facilitate access to care, maintenance of employment and preservation of financial stability. One of the many helpful resources they offer is their National Financial Resources Guidebook for Patients, a state by state directory of information for patients seeking financial relief for a broad range of needs including housing, utilities, food, transportation to medical treatment, and children’s resources.

Tools to Identify and Purchase Lower Cost Prescription Drugs (DestinationRx)
Founded in 1999, DestinationRx has built one the most comprehensive drug therapy databases to compare the price of prescription drugs. This resource enables you to find lower cost drug options, purchase from the pharmacy with the best prices and compare and apply to Medicare Part D plans based on a consideration of total drug costs and premiums of the different plans.

Patient Assistance Medication Programs (RxAssist)
RxAssist was created by Volunteers in Health Care, a national, nonprofit resource center for health care programs working with the uninsured. Its mission is to help all patients who meet certain eligibility criteria identify ways to get affordable, or free, medications. In addition to news and information it offers the most comprehensive and up-to-date database of pharmaceutical companies’ patient assistance programs for patients of need. It also provides a list of publicly supported statewide drug assistance programs that provide free medication to low-income, disabled or elderly patients.

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