Health policy changes are expected to result in millions of Americans losing their Medicaid or Affordable Care Act coverage. Over the next decade, the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act is expected to slash nearly $1 trillion in spending from Medicaid, the state-federal program for people with low incomes and disabilities. Additionally, 1.2 million fewer people have signed up for Obamacare plans compared with last year, and health policy analysts estimate more will lose coverage as they fail to pay their premiums. According to a January poll from KFF, a health information nonprofit, two-thirds of the public say they are somewhat or very worried about affording health care, more than express the same worries about utilities, food, housing, or gas.
Experts recommend exhausting every available option for health coverage before going uninsured. Even a high-deductible plan can protect patients from medical bankruptcy, according to Caitlin Donovan, a senior director at the Patient Advocate Foundation. For those facing uninsured status, several resources and strategies exist to access affordable care.
Finding providers and reducing costs
Patients should talk with their doctors about money, as some hospitals, physicians, and other providers offer cheaper cash pay options with negotiable prices. Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and community clinics offer routine and non-emergency care on a sliding scale for low-income residents and the uninsured. Community health centers see 52 million patients annually in some of the country’s most underserved areas, according to the National Association of Community Health Centers. Planned Parenthood also accepts uninsured patients and offers services including testing for sexually transmitted diseases, birth control options, postpartum and gender-affirming care.
Local health departments offer free vaccinations, family planning services, and testing for sexually transmitted infections, flu, COVID, and tuberculosis. Many also offer advanced care such as dental services and mental health or substance abuse programs. The CDC’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program makes free or low-cost breast and cervical cancer screenings available to low-income women in all states and territories.
Medications and specialized resources
Prescription drug prices vary significantly by pharmacy. Sites such as GoodRx and WellRx offer comparison shopping tools. Retailers including Walmart, Target, and Costco sell 90-day prescriptions of dozens of generic drugs for $10. Many drugmakers also offer patient assistance programs, coupons, and rebates. States offer drug assistance programs with varying requirements and available medications.
Patients with specific diagnoses might access specialized resources. The American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen, and the Patient Advocate Foundation provide lists of vetted foundations that can help offset medical bills and provide resources such as transportation and lodging. Disease-specific foundations can also steer patients to free or low-cost resources.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-to-find-affordable-care-without-health-insurance/