Medical Care

ASSOCIATIONS:

You might be able to locate a state or national association that focuses on a particular medical condition.  An association may provide information on treatment options and financial resources.  Their website may include online message boards or a search tool for locating an association chapter in your local community where you might be able to get support and suggestions from people who are dealing with the same problem.  Use an Internet search engine, like Google.com, and type the name of your condition into the search engine.  For example type cancer association, diabetes associations or whatever medical condition interests you.

CANCER - FINANCIAL RESOURCES:

The National Cancer Institute has a Financial Resources website at www.cancer.gov/CancerTopics/coping/financial-legal.  You can also view their website at www.cancer.gov.

CHILDREN'S MEDICAL SERVICES:

The Children's Medical Services (CMS) program at the Florida Dept. of Health serves children with special health care needs and high-risk pregnant women who meet the medical and financial eligibility requirements. The children are under age 21 with serious or chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional conditions that require extensive care beyond what typically healthy children need.  To learn more and to find contact information, view the CMS website by clicking www.cms-kids.com.

CLINICS:

Clinics: There may be a program in your community where physicians and other health care workers donate their services.  Ask your local County Health Department, local social service agency, a local medical association, or call the phone number 211, to see if they know of such a program in your area.

Community Health Centers: To find a health care clinic that provides health care services, even if you don't have insurance or money, click www.hrsa.gov/GetHealthCare. You can also view the website for the Florida Association of Community Health Centers by clicking www.fachc.org.

County Health Departments (CHD): CHDs provide some direct medical care and may know of other programs where you can get care in your community. To find the office in your area view the Florida Department of Health's website www.FloridasHealth.com. On the homepage find your county in the section “Access health services in your community.”

For Florida’s Health: To find a list of resources for residents who do not have health insurance or who are underserved, click www.ForFloridasHealth.com.

Urgent Care Association of America (UCAOA): Click www.ucaoa.org/buyers/by_state.html for a list of urgent care centers in Florida who are members of UCAOA. Urgent care centers provide health care services for minor injuries and illnesses without having to go to a hospital emergency room. Care at these clinics is less expensive than in a hospital emergency room, but may be more expensive than the other programs listed above.

CLINICAL TRIALS:

If you are seeking medical treatment for a serious illness and you don’t have insurance and can’t find another way to pay for it, you might want to consider entering a clinical trial.  For more information check the following federal government website by clicking www.ClinicalTrials.gov.

DENTAL:

If you need general dental care, you might want to see if a local community college or technical school has a dental hygiene training program.  Sometimes these programs will offer free or low-cost basic dental care.  Also, ask your local County Health Department as some of them do provide some dental service, under certain circumstances.

DIVISION OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION:

If you have a medical condition that prevents you from working, you may be able to get help from the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation at the Florida Department of Education, including possible medical treatment that will help you be able to return to work.  Call them toll-free at (800) 451-4327 (Voice and TDD)or go to www.RehabWorks.org.

FAMILY HEALTH LINE:

The Family Health Line provides information and referral to Florida's pregnant women, infants, and toddlers.  The program offers referrals for prenatal care, infant/toddler medical care and other resources,family planning (birth control), substance abuse treatment during pregnancy, confidential counseling, and information on pregnancy, breast-feeding, childbirth education, drug use, and other pregnancy-related concerns.  Call the toll-free number (800) 451-2229, or to view their website click http://211bigbend.net/hotlines/family-health-line.html.

FLORIDA BREAST AND CERVICAL CANCER EARLY DETECTION PROGRAM:

For gynecological care and possible referral for breast or cervical cancer treatment  --  The Florida Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program provides reduced-cost or free mammograms, clinical breast exams and Pap smears to low-income, uninsured women between the ages of 50 and 64.  If you are not within this age range, the program may be able to refer you to a program that offers low-cost gynecological care.  If you are looking for breast or cervical cancer treatment they may have referral information on some programs.  For more information call the toll-free number (800) 451-2229, or to view their website click http://www.floridashealth.com/Family/bcc/index.html.

HIV/AIDS:

The Florida HIV/AIDS Hotline provides general information on HIV/AIDS and referral to local organizations in your community that offer help with medical care, financial help, and other needs. To view their website click http://211bigbend.net/florida-hivaids-hotline.html or call one of their toll-free numbers:  

(800) 352-2437 (English)   (800) 545-7432 (Spanish)
(800) 243-7101 (Creole)    (888) 503-7118 (TDD/TTY)

HOSPICE:

If you (or a loved one) have been told you are terminally ill or that you have less than six months to live, you might be able to receive services from a hospice program.  Hospice provides care in the home (and sometimes in a hospice facility or hospital) to patients who are expected not to live longer than six months.  Even if you don’t have health insurance you may be able to receive some services from hospice.  They may also be able to guide you in getting government help for medical care.  Contact your local hospice program to see if they can help you.  To find a hospice near you click Facility Locator and follow the directions.

HOSPITALS:

People who fall below the national poverty level might be able to receive free or lower-cost hospital care under the federal Hill-Burton Program, so ask your hospital if it is in this Program. The hospital might cover only certain medical procedures, plus it does not cover the charge for the doctor and there may be other charges not covered, so ask if there will be any charges and ask for a cost estimate. To see if your hospital is in the Hill-Burton Program or for more information about the Program, call the toll-free number (800) 638-0742 or visit www.hrsa.gov/hillburton.

If the hospital does not have a program for the uninsured, ask if they know of any other hospitals in the area that provide services for the uninsured. Also, ask the hospital and the doctor, if you can set up a payment plan. If you need to find a list of hospitals in your area, click Facility Locator.

MEDLINE PLUS:

The National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health provide this website with a wealth of information on health conditions, treatment options, research, clinical trials, related organizations, and much more.  To view their website, click www.MedlinePlus.gov.

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH:

This government agency includes a wide variety of institutes that specialize in particular medical conditions.  The various institutes provide medical and research information and some may include links to financial help.  To view a list of the various institutes click www.nih.gov/icd.

PATIENT ADVOCATE FOUNDATION:

The Patient Advocate Foundation offers help to patients with life threatening or debilitating diseases, related to specific issues they are facing with their insurance, job retention, and/or creditor (debt crisis).  The foundation does not cover medical conditions related to accidents or injury.  To learn more call their toll-free number (800) 532-5274, or to view their website click www.PatientAdvocate.org.

In addition, the Patient Advocate Foundation has the Co-Pay Relief Program that provides direct co-payment help for prescription drugs for Americans with health insurance who need help with their drug co-pay and who financially and medically qualify, including persons covered by a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug plan.  Call them toll-free at (866) 512-3861, or to view their website click www.copays.org.

PATIENT SERVICES INCORPORATED (PSI):

Patient Services Incorporated (PSI) provides help for patients with certain expensive chronic illnesses. PSI looks at an individual's financial, medical, and insurance situation to decide who is eligible for help with premium or co-payment expenses. (A premium is what you pay for your health insurance and a co-payment is money you pay to the health care provider for services you receive.) For more information on PSI, to find out which chronic illnesses they cover, and what services they provide call the toll-free number (800) 366-7741, or visit their website www.uneedpsi.org.

VETERANS’ AFFAIRS:

The Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs provides information and services related to benefits (compensation, education, health, pension, and others), nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and more.  Call them at (727) 319-7400, or to view their website click www.FloridaVets.org.  To view the website of the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs, click www.va.gov.

VICTIM SERVICES:

The Division of Victim Services, at the Florida Attorney General’s Office, advocates for crime victims and offers some financial help for innocent victims of crime, to help with medical costs, lost income, mental health services, and funeral expenses related to the crime.  Call the Division of Victim Services’ toll-free number (800) 226-6667 or visit their website http://MyFloridaLegal.com (hold your pointer over the Services link and click Victims' Services).

VISION:

You may qualify for one of the following programs.  Contact the programs that interest you to see if you qualify and to ask if the program is available in your area of the state.

Eye Care America provides eye care programs for seniors, children, and diabetics, and for glaucoma care, for those individuals who meet the qualifications for help, and where the program is available.  To find out more call the toll-free number (877) 887-6327, or to view their website click www.EyeCareAmerica.org.

Lions Club International provides eye care programs through some of their local chapters.  To find out if you qualify and if there is a program in your area, view their website by clicking www.LionsClubs.org

New Eyes for the Needy provides vouchers for the purchase of new prescription eyeglasses.  To find out more view their website by clicking www.NewEyesForTheNeedy.org

Sight for Students provides free vision exams and glasses to low-income, uninsured children.  The program operates nationally through a network of community partners who identify children in need and VSP network doctors who provide eye care services.  To learn more call their toll-free number (888) 290-4964 for recorded information, or to view their website click www.SightForStudents.org.

Vision USA Program provides eye exams (where the program is available) and in some places provides free or low-cost eye glasses.  To see if there is a program in your area and if you qualify view their website www.aoa.org/x5611.xml.

OTHER RESOURCES:

Be sure to look at the other topics listed in the Medical Help Section by clicking Referral Links.