Health Insurance For Single Moms

Good health is a vital requirement in every individual’s life. With the rising costs of healthcare services especially in times of emergencies it has become critical to opt for health insurance programs to access affordable and quality healthcare. Low-income single moms with no health insurance may wonder what are the available options for them that can help them to reduce their medical costs. This guide will throw light on low-income single mom health insurance options and how to qualify for them.

Is It Possible To Find Affordable Health Insurance For Single Moms?

It can be challenging to be a single mom. Health insurance for single moms makes it challenging to find the right healthcare coverage for their children. It is important to find coverage for both emergency care and preventive care. In other words, single moms and dads need to find the best health insurance for themselves including their family members. The Affordable Care Act has health insurance programs that are affordable for people who are going through financial difficulties. Today single moms and dads have access to numerous federally subsidized and private options. If you’re wondering whether you can find affordable or low-cost health insurance while being a single mom then the answer is definitely yes.

How Much Is Health Insurance For A Single Mom?

The cost of single-mom health insurance plans may vary depending on a wide range of factors like age, the type of plan you are opting for, and the number of dependents you have. The average monthly cost of a person’s insurance policy in 2020 was $456. Low-income single moms may have to afford a few dollars every month to get various types of healthcare assistance through insurance plans. You need to read the fine print carefully about the silver, bronze, and gold healthcare plans. Single moms often find it beneficial to look for healthcare insurance that comes with a higher monthly price depending on the potential challenges that they are facing or on their medical history. Such plans provide higher copays and also have a greater cap.

Things To Consider While Choosing Health Insurance Assistance For Single Moms

To find the right health insurance coverage for yourself and your children you need to consider a few factors such as the following:

1. Your Health Requirements

One of the best and most effective ways to find low-income single mom health insurance is to go for a plan that adequately covers your children’s health. In other words choose a health plan that offers care for regular prescriptions, and chronic conditions including routine visits to doctors or medical providers. Single moms who want to consider alternative treatments such as acupuncture should make sure that their health insurance plan includes this partial coverage as well.

2. Health Requirements Of Your Children

As a single mom, it may be comforting for you to find health insurance that pays the maximum coverage for every possible scenario particularly if you have a daredevil or accident-prone kid at home. However, all-encompassing healthcare plans are not always the best economic choice for single-parent families. To choose the right healthcare insurance plan go for the one that covers the most of your child’s medical care. Keeping your child’s health requirements in mind will help you to choose the right plan for yourself.

3. Consider The Cost

Irrespective of whether you are divorced or not, being the sole caregiver of your children makes you responsible for providing for their health insurance. The only exception to this rule is when the other parent has employer-sponsored health insurance and you do not or if the court has ordered the other parent to provide the primary health insurance for the children. If you’re receiving child support from the other parent you can use the money to pay for deductibles, copays, surgery costs, eyeglasses braces, or special healthcare for your special needs children. When choosing a healthcare plan consider the federal government health insurance plans like Medicaid and CHIP as well as private market health plans to find cheap health insurance for single moms.

List Of Best Health Insurance For Single Moms

Every family is different in terms of size and shape. While some are single parents, some are dual, some blended and some do not fit into any of these categories. When you’re a single mom you are solely responsible for meeting the needs of your children. It can be overwhelming for single moms to meet all the responsibilities and obligations alone on one source of income. Health insurance is one such factor that single moms need to consider carefully to avail the best medical services at affordable rates. Following is the list of the best and most affordable health insurance plans for single moms.

1. Medicaid

The state and federally-funded program Medicaid supports low-income families with limited financial resources to cover healthcare costs. Medicaid is one of the most widely available and largest government schemes offering free health insurance for single moms and other low-income communities. Nearly 74 million people across the country have access to the Medicaid program. To apply for Medicaid benefits you need to fulfill certain eligibility requirements. For instance, you need to prove that you are a citizen of the United States and also meet the federal poverty guidelines to receive federal help to cover your medical expenses. Depending on your state of residence the Medicaid program can help you to cover essential medical and dental services free or at affordable rates.

2. The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

Besides Medicaid another popular Medical insurance for single moms throughout the United States is the Children’s Health Insurance Program or CHIP. The program is designed to meet the dental and medical needs of kids belonging to low-income families. Single moms whose income is too high to qualify for Medicaid benefits can be eligible to receive healthcare coverage from this program. Every state has its eligibility requirements to provide CHIP benefits. Single moms having children between the ages of 0 to 19 can be eligible to receive assistance under this program.

3. Supplemental Security Income

The Supplemental Security Income program is administered and managed by Social Security. Monthly benefits are provided to beneficiaries of the program every month including single moms who are disabled or have limited resources. Eligible single moms can use the payments received under this program to offset their medical necessities and prescription bills. A lot of people on Supplemental Security Income become automatically eligible to receive additional federal healthcare programs such as Medicaid and Medicare.

4. Health Well Foundation

Cash grants are provided by the Health Well Foundation to assist low-income people who are struggling to pay their medical bills or afford healthcare costs. Single moms who have insurance but need additional help to pay for the remaining premiums or bills can settle the payment by becoming eligible for these cash grants. The foundation also helps to cover other expenses such as copayments and coinsurance. Single moms in need of urgent medical care can contact the organization at (800)-675-8416 to know if they’re eligible to receive assistance.

5. Mission of Mercy

The primary objective of the organization Mission Of Mercy is to offer free vision, surgical, dental, and medical services, especially to low-income communities who are unable to access these services because of financial limitations. Mission of Mercy also donates medical equipment to local hospitals to improve the capabilities of local hospitals and provide better healthcare services to the public. Low-income patients also receive free medical care and prescription bills from the assistance provided by the Mission Of Mercy. Single moms can contact the Mission of Mercy to have medical assistance in the form of routine checkups and dental care.

6. Hill-Burton Free and Reduced-Cost Health Care

The federal government-funded Hill-Burton Free and Reduced Cost Health Care is a program that offers federal grants for various purposes such as construction, modernization, and renovation to offer low-cost or free health services to needy patients. Healthcare facilities receive assistance from federal grants to provide free or low-cost medical services to vulnerable communities including single moms and their children. Certain eligibility criteria have to be satisfied to receive assistance. People who are already receiving government distance are not eligible to apply for the program. Single moms need to ask the healthcare facility whether they offer the Hill-Burton scheme. Applications can be submitted at the clinic’s billing department, the business office, or the admission office.

Other Insurance Options For Single Moms

Before assessing which healthcare plan will meet your and your family’s needs you need to know some other insurance options that are available at your disposal apart from the federal and state government healthcare plans. Depending on your age and income level you can be eligible to avail of these resources.

1. Employer-Sponsored Health Plan

The employer-sponsored healthcare insurance option is a common choice among working single moms. Health plans provided by the employer as a benefit of employment come in different forms such as

• Health Reimbursement Arrangement HRA

Smaller employees use the HRA strategy where they provide employees with a particular annual amount to get reimbursed for certain medical expenses. By availing of HRA single moms need to pay the upfront medical expenses which will be reimbursed by their employer as per the policy.

• Health Management Organization HMO

Health management organizations generally come with low monthly premiums unlike other options and low to no annual deductibles as well. However, they have a narrow network of medical providers that provide no healthcare coverage for out-of-network care. In the case of an HMO, you need to choose a primary healthcare provider who will manage your healthcare and you will need his or her referral to visit a specialist.

• Preferred Provider Organization PPO

The traditional preferred provider organization is one of the widest in-network healthcare providers which offers partial health coverage of out-of-network care. PPOs generally have high monthly premiums and you can choose a doctor without needing any referral. The annual deductible is also quite low. Choosing this plan will enable you to contribute to the Health Savings Account into which you deposit pre-tax funds to make payments for eligible medical expenses, or tax deductibles or to simply save for your future.

2. Low Income And Free Clinics

There are several health facilities across the United States which offer free medical services or on a sliding fee scale. Free and low-income clinics are a viable source for single moms who are uninsured or have no access to proper medical services. Healthcare professionals also run clinics volunteered by local communities and provide free or affordable essential services like routine checkups, treatment of minor diseases, and so on. They can help you to get treated for complicated issues like surgeries or give you referrals where medical services are provided as per your medical condition.

Conclusion

Emergency medical care can leave a dent in your household finances. Health insurance is a critical decision for every single mom. The cost of medical services is rising in the market astronomically therefore having a proper health insurance plan is necessary. The aforementioned programs and plans are the best solution for single moms who want to address the medical needs of themselves and their children. Health insurance plans have eligibility requirements therefore read all the information related to the plan before applying.