More Information About Health Coverage

Medical Coverage Might Be Closer To Reach Than You Realize

(CBS)  A survey shows 1 in 3 Americans have had trouble paying medical bills in the past year. Two years ago, only 1 in 4 had trouble.

CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook reported on how recent economic hard times are forcing more Americans to scrimp on health care.

The CBS News Medical Unit compiled the following information:

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Often, people who are uninsured are eligible for more help than they may think.

Even if they are not eligible for Medicaid, they may have access to other state-subsidized insurance, for example, in New York: Family Health Plus or Healthy NY.

The case workers at your state’s Medicaid office might be able to help you evaluate options. Find information here.

Also, you can check out some Web sites designed to help the uninsured, including Cover The Uninsured, a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Access 2 Wellness, a Johnson and Johnson site and the New York online directory.

A couple activist groups that could be worth checking out are Voice For The Uninsured and Cover The Uninsured.

To learn more about health care in the United States, see Kaiser Network or the National Coalition on Health Care.

And the U.S. Department of Health And Human Services has a resource page.