Affordable health insurance??

Executive Member Joined: Nov 14 2009 Posts: 360

My mother is in a horrible position. She is 62, lives in brooklyn, in desperate need of health insurance and her job doesnt provide it (they only started paying her on the book several yrs ago after they got caught). She barely makes any money and is really falling apart (severe knee problems, beginning stages of athritis, osteo...) but for some ridiculous reason is not entitled to free insurance anymore. My sister was paying for her insurance up until a year ago but now none of us can afford to pay it for her. There is no way she can afford paying 10-15 grand a year on insurance she wouldn't be able to survive. Does anyone know of any options available for someone like her? Or who I can call for some help?

Platinum Member Joined: Nov 01 2009 Posts: 8303

Canada.

Sorry, I know that's not helpful.

Does she qualify for reduced insurance?
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Executive Member Joined: Nov 14 2009 Posts: 360

How do you get reduced insurance? What does that entail exactly?
My siblings and I all get insurance through work thank g-d so we don't know much about individual insurance

Platinum Member Joined: Nov 01 2009 Posts: 8303

There are government programs that help with reduced cost insurance. I don't know much about them. Hopefully someone else will be able to help.

Diamond Member Joined: Nov 30 2006 Posts: 2613

Family Health Plus:
http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/fhplus/

GHI Bridge Program (cheaper than standard insurance in NYS which is outrageous, but still not cheap)
http://www.ghi.com/nybridgeplan/index.html

If she qualifies for neither, someone in Brooklyn should be able to connect her with a FQHC doing sliding-scale care. NYS mandates that hospitals provide charity care, as well.

Gold Member Joined: Dec 24 2009 Posts: 2433

Healthy NY is also an option for those who don't qualify for Medicaid or Family Health Plus

http://www.ins.state.ny.us/website2/hny/english/hny.htm
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Gold Member Joined: Dec 24 2009 Posts: 2433

Also depending on how much she makes she might qualify for SSI which would qualify her for medicaid.