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(Click
HERE For Free or Low Cost Help For The Uninsured)
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Related Topics
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| Doctors | Managed Care (HMOs, Hospitals, etc.) |
| Medical Bills | Rules, Regulations & Complaints |
| Traditional (Includes Free Medicines & Treatments) | Medicine Recalls |
| Alternative |
| Health & Life | Workers Compensation |
| Medicare/Medicaid | Insurance Regulations & Complaints |
| Social Security | Where Else To Go For Help |
Managed Care (HMOs, PPOs, etc.)
Choosing A Health Plan
Getting Top Care/Complaints
Where Else To Go For Help (GA &
National)
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Choosing A Health Plan
There are many things to consider when choosing a health plan. Some of
these include, the plan's comprehensiveness, i.e. what it covers, the cost of
this coverage, the limits on your choice of doctors or hospitals and the
complaint record of each provider.
FAQs, Tips & Advice
Profiles For Health Plans, Doctors & Hospitals
Referral Agencies
Choosing Quality Medical Care (Tips)
A list of questions consumers should ask when choosing a HMOs.
How
To Choose A Health Plan (Summary with lots of other links.)
Choosing An HMO
(BBB)
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Health Plan, Doctor
& Hospital Profiles
Atlanta Area Hospitals (With links)
www.healthgrades.com
Free profiles on 600,000 doctors, 5,000 hospitals, 400 health plans, 17,000
nursing homes and more. Learn about the doctor's specialties, years
in practice, instances of misconduct, and ratings by their patients.
Hospitals-The
Top Ones In Each State (U.S. News & World Report)
Once you've found the best Hospitals in your state for your condition, choose a
plan with doctors who have privileges to work in these hospitals.
The site will provide a detailed report on the hospital's characteristics, financial reports, costs, and specialties. This directory can be searched by hospital name, city, state, area code and zip code. Click on the icon for "free services", and to gain entry to the sections accept the liability statement.
United Way Help Line (For All 50 States, DC & Puerto Rico)
Choose your state, select your city, and look up help agencies galore!!! Their stellar search engine can lead you to any social service topic you can think of. Just type in the words "Health" and either "Managed Care" or "HMO".
*GA Health
Resources
Government Agencies. Georgia Health Associations & Non-profits.
Contacts
On Medicaid, Children's Health & Managed Care.
For state-by-state- information on the above, select your state from their drop
box and hit "GO".
Health Care Choices
For more information on doctors and hospitals, e-mail this consumer-advocate
group.
Getting Top Care/Complaints
FAQs, Tips &
Advice
Where To Get Help (Patient Advocates)
HMOs-Your Rights When Your Claim Is Denied
10 Ways To Avoid Outrageous Hospital Overcharges
Profit-hungry hospitals are overcharging consumers an estimated
$10 billion a year. Some deliberately work to keep bills indecipherable.
Here's how to fight back.
Making
Healthcare Agencies Publicly Accountable
Articles and links on how to make your healthcare agency accountable and where you
to get help when they won't cooperate.
Health Care
Quality-Patient Rights & Responsibilities
Fighting
Insurance Companies When They Deny Your Claim
How to protect yourself,
establish contacts, gather allies and write your appeals and grievance letters.
How To Avoid A Health Insurance
Claim
denial—And What To Do When You Can't
Tips, advice and appeals form
letters.
Informal Guide To
Appealing Health Insurance Claims
Advice from a regular guy who took on his HMO and won.
*Low Cost Medical Help For The Uninsured (GA Only)
Where To Report A Complaint Against Your Health Care Provider (All 50 States & DC)
Keeping
Your Medical Records Private
Know what protections and rights you have and what you can do if you believe
they have been violated.
Regulators
Governing Health & Ins. Plans (All 50 States & DC)
For Both Managed Care Plans and Fee For Service Plans.
Rules, Regulations & Complaints
(Consumer-SOS)
Patient
Advocacy Links
Scroll down the page for organizations that can help you in your battle
against your provider.
Find
Your Local Newspaper, Magazine, Radio & TV Stations
Give them a little bad press and you're bargaining power increases tremendously.
Select Texas, and then click on your county or city for the proper media to
report to. (DC Not Included).
Where Else To Go For Help
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Doctors
Finding & Choosing (includes Free
Help)
Talking To Your Doctor
Complaints
Finding & Choosing
FAQs Tips & Advice
Finding By Specialty
Doctor Profiles & Credentials
Free or Low Cost
Medical Help For The GA Uninsured
Low Cost Medical Help For The Uninsured (GA Only)
Choosing
A Doctor (General Tips)
For a checklist of what to consider, click Here
Other Helpful Links
(Consumer-SOS)
Relating to help for the poor, doctor accountability and patient education.
Back To Top
Finding By Specialty
*GA Health Resources
(May Be Able To Get Referrals)
Government Agencies. Georgia Health Associations & Non-profits.
Certified Doctor Locator Service (All 50 States & DC)
To locate a board certified physician by geographic area and specialty.
AMA Physician
Select
Look up physicians by name or by state and medical specialty to find their
address, educational background, gender, and
specialty.
www.bestdoctors.com
Boasts a database supposedly made up of 30,000 of America's top-rated doctors.
Find A Doctor (National)
Search by name, Zip code or metropolitan area.
www.healthgrades.com
Free profiles on 600,000 doctors, 5,000 hospitals, 400 health plans, 17,000
nursing homes and more. Learn about the doctor's specialties, years
in practice, instances of misconduct, and ratings by their patients.
Verifying
If A Doctor's Been Disciplined (Consumer-SOS)
Check your state's medical licensing board to see if your
doctor has been disciplined. This is also where you can file complaints.
Profiles For Health
Plans, Doctors & Hospitals (Consumer-SOS)
Having good doctors is not enough. To have access to the latest equipment, make
sure they have privileges to work in the best hospitals.
ABMS Website
Find out about your doctor's credentials. Type in "Bruce
Bagley," for instance, and you'll learn that the president of
the American Academy of Family Physicians is indeed
certified in family practice.
The American Board Of Medical
Specialties
Details on who treats what and to find out whether the doctor has been
disciplined. To see if your doctor has lost any malpractice suits, check
the local courts.
Compare Doctors and
Hospitals-Medicare.gov (All 50 States & DC)
See left index to compare and rate Hospices, Home
Heath Services, In Patient Rehab, Doctors, Hospitals, Medical Equipment
Suppliers, Nursing Homes and more. Type in your Zip Code, and you can
compare the ratings and services of at least two facilities at once!
Other Helpful Links
(Consumer-SOS)
Relating to help for the poor, doctor accountability and patient education.
What To Ask
& Tell Your Doctor (Consumer-SOS)
Basics on preparing for your meeting, writing things down and getting feedback
from your doctor.
Geared for seniors or the terminally ill, the site tells you the basics on how to make the most of your visit.
What To Ask Your Doctor Before Office Surgery
Getting
Top Care From Your Doctor
What to ask about your condition, treatments, tests and more.
Making The Most Of Your Medical Visit
- Find Low Cost Clinics or Get Needed Treatment
- Dispute Billing Overcharges
- Fight Insurance Companies that Deny Your Claims
- Negotiate Amount of Your Medical Bills
- Find Help To Pay Your Bills (Grants, Charities, Gov Assistance...)
Free or Low Cost Clinics For Medical, Dental, Vision,
Mental Health and Pharmacy Services (Consumer-SOS)
These are free or low
cost clinics that require payment based on your ability to pay.
Help To Pay Your Medical Bills (Consumer-SOS)
Find the government, non profit groups and foundations that help people with
paying their medical bills. Some of these are earmarked for specific
conditions such as cancer or kidney problems, others just help anyone who
financially qualifies.
OneNeed.org (GA Only)
Needs vary but
could include $ for car repair, rent/mortgage,
buying a car, utilities and medical bills. One
Need works with local churches and all needs start and end with our local church
partners. If you have a need please click
SUBMIT A NEED here.
10 Ways To Avoid Outrageous Hospital Overcharges
Profit-hungry hospitals are overcharging consumers an estimated
$10 billion a year. Some deliberately work to keep bills indecipherable.
Here's how to fight back.
Fighting Insurance Companies When They Deny Your Claim How to protect yourself, establish contacts, gather allies and write your appeals and grievance letters.
Medical Billing Advocates To Help Cut Down
Healthcare Costs (Consumer-SOS)
Low Cost Medical Help For
The Poor or Uninsured (Consumer-SOS)
Prescription help, low cost clinics, low cost health insurance,
United Way Help
Line (For All 50 States, DC & Puerto Rico)
Choose
your state, select your city, and look up help agencies galore!!! Their stellar search engine can lead you to any social service topic you can
think of. Just type in the
words "medical bills" and "assistance"
Help To Pay Your Medical Bills
(Consumer-SOS)
If an organization can't help you, don't get off the phone until you've asked
them:
DO YOU KNOW OF OTHER GROUPS THAT CAN? Also ask,
If you were in my situation, what would
you do? Who would you call? What should i do next?
A Guide To Finding Medical Bill Assistance
Reduce your medical bills through various ways such as crowdfunding, government
assistance, special loans, medical bill advocates and lawyers.
NeedHelpPayingmyBills
(State By State Assistance)
To help pay medical bills, taxes, rent and mortgage help, etc.
Press control to select multiple resources. Shows public and non profit groups that can help the uninsured patient navigate their access to healthcare, deal with the financial cost of treatment, gather options for future health insurance coverage and work to effectively manage and decrease costs while seeking medical care. They are dedicated to helping patients with chronic, debilitating or life-threatening illnesses.
Financial Aid Fund
Division-Patient Advocate Foundation (855) 824-7941 (Toll-Free)
This independent division of Patient Advocate Foundation provides small grants
to patients who meet financial and medical criteria. Grants are provided on
first-come first served basis and are distributed until funds are depleted.
Qualifications and processes for each fund may differ based on fund
requirements. Patients who are interested in applying for financial
assistance should start by calling this division toll free at (855) 824-7941.
The small grant programs under the Financial Aid Fund division are not
part of PAF’s Co-Pay Relief assistance program and operate independently from
other case management services.
DHS
Emergency Medical Bill Assistance (Georgia)
Obesity-The National Obesity Foundation
People meeting the financial need and medical requirements can apply for
assistance of up to $2,000 towards medical expenses such as insurance
deductibles or partial payment for approved surgeries and other medical
treatment. Financial Assistance may also be available in the form of discounts
on treatment costs from NOF-accredited physicians around the country. Contact:
financialassistance@nofusa.org
Weight
Loss Surgery Foundation of America 415-234-9074
Steps to qualify for a grant for weight loss surgery. May not even require you
have insurance.
Cancer Bills
A list of the various funds foundations and grants to help pay cancer bills.
Patient Advocate Foundation Co-Pay
Relief (866) 512-3861
Helps with medical bills incurred from chronic pain,
various types of cancer, osteoporosis, hepatitis and other medical
conditions.
Good Days from CDF (877)
968-7233 (Formerly The Chronic Disease Fund)
Currently supports patients with more than two dozen different diseases,
including many types of cancer (breast, colorectal, lung
cancer, and multiple myeloma), multiple sclerosis, asthma, and macular
degeneration, to name a few. They can assist patients across the
United States with either private or public insurance who financially
qualify but cannot afford the cost of their specialty therapeutics.
Healthwell Foundation
(800) 675-8416
Assists patients living with chronic and life-altering illnesses in paying their
share of prescription drug copayments, deductibles, and health insurance
premiums.
Patents Access
Network Foundation
1-866-316-7263
Aids, some Arthritis, Asthma,
Acromegaly, Cancer, Crohn's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Macular Diseases,
to name a few.
Kidney Cancer
Association-Financial Assistance
Links
To Other Co-Payment Assistance Organizations
Medical Bills Foundations (Google Search)
For specific programs you can add in your state, i.e. New York
Medical Billing Advocates
Billing advocates negotiate with
healthcare providers and insurance companies to lower your medical bills, or
increase what they'll pay for your expenses. Savings can be in the thousands of
dollars. Some charge by the hour, others bill based on what they saved you in
costs. Some may even be free.
GeorgiaCares 800-669-8387
Free help for Seniors to sort through medical bills and file medical claims.
Also provides seniors with health insurance counseling and assistance and
referral.
The Patient Advocate Foundation
Negotiates medical bills and insurance for those with chronic, debilitating and
life-threatening conditions.
Medical Billing Advocates of America
Online directory of more than 30 services around the country that specialize in
individual cases. Has patient guide for detecting overcharges, billing errors
and insurance underpayments.
For more help Google Medical Billing Advocates (and the name of your state or city).
Rules, Regulations & Complaints
Summary Of Medical Malpractice Laws (DC & All 50 States)
Excellent!!!
Keeping
Your Medical Records Private
Know what protections and rights you have and what you can do if you believe
they have been violated.
Complaints Against Doctors, Health Plans,
Insurers & More (Consumer-SOS)
Complaints Against Your Doctor
(Consumer-SOS)
May include nurses and other healthcare workers too.
Complaints Against Your Health Plan (Consumer-SOS)
Takes you to Getting Top Care/Complaints.
Insurance
Related Complaints (Consumer-SOS)
Takes you to Consumer-SOS/Insurance for
where to complaint to, insurance
regulators and where to get help for almost every insurance issue.
Report Adverse Reactions & Medical Product
Problems To the FDA
Find
Your Local Newspaper, Magazine, Radio & TV Stations
Give them a little bad press and you're bargaining power increases tremendously.
Select Texas, and then click on your county or city for the proper media to
report to. (DC Not Included).
Patient
Advocacy Links
For More See Occupational Licensing Boards
Back To Top
Complaints Against Your Doctor
*EMS
Rules and Regulations In GA
These rules establish standards for ambulance services, medical first
responder services, neonatal transport services, designation of trauma
centers and base station facilities, training and certification requirements
for medics, instructor certification and approval requirements for emergency
medical technician, cardiac technician and paramedic training programs, and
others.
Medical
Licensing Boards (Consumer-SOS)
Check the medical licensing boards in your state to learn
if your doctor has been disciplined, or what rules he must abide by. You can
also lodge a complaint against the doctor yourself.