You are here: Home Finances Uninsured: How To ... How To Obtain ...
Information For Living With: Choose condition »
Information about all aspects of finances affected by a serious health condition. Includes income sources such as work, investments, and private and government disability programs, and expenses such as medical bills, and how to deal with financial problems.
Information about all aspects of health care from choosing a doctor and treatment, staying safe in a hospital, to end of life care. Includes how to obtain, choose and maximize health insurance policies.
Answers to your practical questions such as how to travel safely despite your health condition, how to avoid getting infected by a pet, and what to say or not say to an insurance company.

How To Obtain Care For HIV Without Health Insurance

1/1

To obtain health care for HIV with no insurance, look at the general resources mentioned in How To Obtain Regular Medical Care Without Insurance.

In addition, consider the following alternatives which are listed in no particular order:

ADAP

  • ADAP (AIDS Drug Assistance Program) is a federal/state program primarily aimed at providing HIV drugs to people who meet eligibility requirements.
  • ADAP is also permitted to purchase health insurance and pay premiums, co-payments and/or deductibles for people who are eligible.

Clinical Trials

  • You may get free care if the HIV drug you need is being studied somewhere by joining a clinical trial that studies new drugs and treatments or new uses of existing drugs and treatments.
  • The doctors in charge are usually top in their field. Generally basic treatment is free. There may still be extra costs you have to incur.
  • For information about clinical trials, click here.

Assistance Programs from the drug manufacturer. Most drug manufacturers have programs to assist people in need to purchase their drugs. For information, see:

  • The website of Prescription For Partnership Assistance at www.pparx.org/  offsite link or call 888.477.2669
  • The web site of Viiv Healthcare (a combination of GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer) at  www.ViivHealthcareForYou.com offsite link or call: 877.784.4842
  • The web site of the drug you are considering/are taking or the manufacturer. (If you do not know the name, type the name of the drug into your favorite search engine.)

Non-profit Organizations

  • A number of organizations provide financial support for the costs of direct medical care and related expenses. For example, some organizations offer money to people who cannot pay their bills. Some organizations provide free transportation to and from treatment. Others offer "lending libraries" of wigs, hospital beds, wheelchairs and related products.
  • The type and amount of financial assistance available varies from community to community. Many of these services are not advertised, but are available for the asking. 
  • Your HIV doctor or social worker can help provide local information.

Hospitals

  • All federally funded hospitals must provide a certain amount of free or low cost care because of the Hill-Burton Act. For information, including questions to ask, click here.
  • In addition, there may be funds available from private donations to pay for care. Ask the finance department of the hospitals in your local or nearby areas.

Free and low cost health clinics. To find a free or low cost health clinic near you, insert your zip code at: www.pparx.org/en/prescription_assistance_programs/free_clinic_finder offsite link

Federally-funded health centers (HRSA Health Centers)

  • There are hundreds of Federally-funded health centers around the country that provide medical care regardless of your ability to pay. Since they are often run by the government's Human Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and are often referred to as HRSA Health Centers.
  • If you have no health insurance, you pay what you can afford, based on your income.
  • To locate a Federally-Funded Health Center, go to: http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov offsite link

If all else fails, consider “Medical Tourism” - going  outside the United States for treatment, to an area with high quality medical care with low costs. For information about medical tourism, click here. It is also worth noting that people have also been known to move to developed countries which provide medical care such as Canada and the United Kingdom. Of course, such a move should not be undertaken lightly.

NOTE:


Please share how this information is useful to you. 0 Comments

 

Post a Comment Have something to add to this topic? Contact Us.

Characters remaining:

  • Allowed markup: <a> <i> <b> <em> <u> <s> <strong> <code> <pre> <p>
    All other tags will be stripped.