Unemployment and the bleeding disorders community
At 10.2 percent last month, the unemployment rate in the United States is the highest since 1983. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities was reported at 16.2 percent in September 2009. Loss of a job can impede access to health care and treatment thereby having a negative impact on someone with a bleeding disorder and their family. It’s important to know your options. Resources that provide information about your options are available on various websites. A few of those resources include:
1) The Kaiser Family Foundation has dedicated several web pages to “Health Care and the Uninsured”. Please visit http://kff.org/uninsured/index.cfm
2) Families USA offers several pages of information for the uninsured. Please visit
http://www.familiesusa.org/issues/uninsured/
3) Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness, an organization led by Jennifer Jaff, Esq. has dedicated several web pages to help you navigate the health insurance system and access insurance. Please visit http://www.advocacyforpatients.org/health.php
4) Cover the Uninsured, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation project, helps people to navigate and learn about programs within your state. Click on your state and locate your state’s guide to finding health insurance coverage at http://covertheuninsured.org/learn_about_your_state
5) Federal government agencies, such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services offer information about the Medicaid and CHIP programs. Find out if you qualify by visiting http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicaidGenInfo/ and http://www.cms.hhs.gov/home/chip.asp