| Affordable insurance has never been a more | | | | tiresome written statements. The application itself |
| contentious and widely debated subject, both | | | | is actually filed by a caseworker, who meets with |
| among US policy makers, lobby groups and the | | | | the applicant in order to assess eligibility for the |
| general public. Many people receive | | | | programme and to inform the applicant about the |
| insurance-particularly healthcare insurance-as a | | | | documentation they will need to produce in order |
| part of their employment package, but where | | | | for eligibility to be assessed. Eligibility criteria varies |
| does this leave the less fortunate-and the | | | | between states, but priority is with low-income |
| unemployed in particular? | | | | families-especially those with dependant children. |
| It is estimated that there are perhaps as many | | | | Pregnant women with children are also a priority |
| as 40 million Americans without any-or at least | | | | group. |
| adequate-health insurance, pointing to a real | | | | Although the names of such programmes will |
| vacuum and inequality of provision. | | | | vary depending on which state you reside in, |
| Fortunately, there are state and federally funded | | | | Medicaid is perhaps the best-known, as has a |
| provisions and programmes aimed specifically at | | | | number of benefits. For such state-run |
| those on low-incomes and the unemployed, | | | | programmes to qualify to receive federal funding, |
| designed to provide an adequate and affordable | | | | they must offer aspects of cover. Such services |
| level of insurance provision. | | | | usually include home healthcare services, in and |
| So what are the benefits of such | | | | out-patient hospital services, X-rays and paediatric |
| programmes-especially to those that might fear | | | | services. |
| entanglements with state programmes and the | | | | Recipients also need not worry about otherwise |
| interminable form-filling and rigid bureaucracy that | | | | expensive doctor's visits or prescription drugs. |
| many associate them with? | | | | Such provisions will either incur no charge at all, or |
| Well, to take the first concern, vis-a-vis | | | | a minimal cost. Coverage can also be provided |
| form-filling, the good news is that, for | | | | retroactively to take into account a 3-month |
| programmes such as Medicaid, applicants will not | | | | period prior to approval for coverage. |
| be faced with reams of endless paperwork and | | | | |