Home Pennsylvania Health & Medical Insurance & Benefits
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FAQs, Tips & Advice
Free Or Low Cost Insurance
Insurance Regulations
Complaints
FAQs, Tips & Advice
Health Insurance
Life Insurance
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.
Managed Care
(Consumer-SOS)
Choosing a health plan, getting them to treat you right, and where to complain
and get help.
Healthlinkplus.org
Index of health topics grouped by subject. Links are arranged under
"Health Insurance", "General Health Information",
"Alternative Medicine", "Medical Research", "Health
Care Providers", "Mental Health", and
"Evaluating Health Information On the Internet".
Last
Acts
Links and brochures on death related issues.
For More Help See Consumer-SOS/Insurance
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Health & Human Services Resource Guide (Pennsylvania)
State Wide Directory of Social Services including:
Healthcare Access Guide For
the Uninsured (Pennsylvania)
A
one-stop manual for individuals who either are uninsured or underinsured to
identify free or low cost healthcare service. Scroll to your area of need.
Adult Basic For Adults Age 19-64 (Pennsylvania)
Covers the basic healthcare needs of Pennsylvanians between 19 and 65 who have
no health insurance and who meet certain
eligibility requirements.
Children's Health Insurance Program-CHIP (Pennsylvania)
Health insurance to all uninsured children and teens who
are not eligible for or enrolled in Medical Assistance. There are a lot of
reasons kids might not have health insurance - whatever the reason, CHIP may be
able to help.
Medicare Supplement Insurance (Pennsylvania)
The COBRA Stimulus Plan-What You Need To Know
Eligible people get a 65% premium reduction.
Find The Lowest Insurance
Rates (Consumer-SOS)
Insurance web sites that give you on line quotes and
let you compare rates.
Find A Health Clinic In Your
State, City and County (All 50 States, DC, Guam, Etc)
This Web site will help you find a clinic for medical care, even if you have no
medical insurance or money.
Low
Cost Help For The Uninsured (50 States & DC)
Select 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 words
related to your search such as ""uninsured" and
"medical" or "uninsured" and "clinic."
Where Else To Go For Help (Consumer-SOS)
Medicare/Medicaid
Health Resources In
All 50 States & DC
Medicaid offices in every state. Some states also have links to other resources
such as hospitals, patient advocacy groups and resources for children.
Medicaid In All The 50 States (Gov Offices, Articles & Links)
This site has selected links to information about existing Medicaid plans. Medicaid is a federal-state partnership, with state laws, state regulations, federally approved state waivers, and
approved "state plans" all creating significant variations from state to state.
Medicare
(FAQs & Links)
Medicare
Preventive Services
The Medicaid Clearing House
Has links and articles on government benefits.
Medicare
Worksheet For Comparing Health Plans
Social Security & Medicare/Medicaid
(Nolo)
Healthlinkplus.org
Index of health topics grouped by subject. Links are arranged under
"Health Insurance", "General Health Information",
"Alternative Medicine", "Medical Research", "Health
Care Providers", "Mental Health", and "Evaluating
Health Information On the Internet".
United Way 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 "Medicare" or "Medicaid" To limit your topic,
add an additional search term.
Where Else To Go For
Help (Consumer-SOS)
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Social Security
The
Social Security Handbook
This Handbook is intended for the use of people who want an explanation of
the various Social Security programs, so that they may understand how the
programs operate, who is
entitled to benefits, and how these benefits may be obtained.
Social Security
Disability Secrets
Advice, FAQS and in depth answers from a former Social Security Claims Examiner.
Learn how to apply, how to prepare your case and more.
SS
Request For Earnings & Benefits Estimate (PDF)
Social Security: What Every Woman Should Know
Social Security & Medicare/Medicaid (Nolo)
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 "Social Security".
Healthlinkplus.org
Index of health topics grouped by subject. Links are arranged under
"Health Insurance", "General Health Information",
"Alternative Medicine", "Medical Research", "Health
Care Providers", "Mental Health", and "Evaluating
Health Information On the Internet".
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Regulators Governing
Health & Ins. Plans (All 50 States & DC)
For Both Managed Care Plans and Fee For Service Plans.
Know Your
COBRA Rights (With Links To All 50 States & DC)
Their drop box links you to your regional or district office of the Pension and
Welfare Benefits Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor, which oversees
COBRA.
Health
Ins. Portability & Accountability Act of 1996 (Fed Law)
Your
Rights Under The Family Medical Leave Act
Consumer And
Government Advocates
Many of these groups protect the consumer against unethical insurance
companies. May also furnish you with regulations if you ask.
Where Else To Go For Help (Consumer-SOS)
Related Topics
Insurance
The Work Place
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Complaints
Office of
Attorney General's Health Care Unit-Pennsylvania (877-888-4877)
For Billing disputes, denials of coverage and access to care issues and
more. These problems can involve physicians or other professional health
services providers; hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities;
durable medical equipment providers; third party administrators; discount
medical benefit plans; laboratories or health or long term care insurers.
Pennsylvania Insurance Department Complaint Form And Contact Information
Ins. Co. Emergency Claim Numbers
Managed Care
(Consumer-SOS)
Choosing a health plan, getting them to treat you
right, and where to complain and get help.
State
Insurance Regulators (All 50 States & DC)
Insurance
Complaints (All 50 States & DC)
Also has good info on resolving disputes.
Medical Bills (Consumer-SOS)
Cutting your costs by negotiating with insurance companies.
Fighting Insurance Companies When They Deny Your Claim How to protect yourself, establish contacts, gather allies and write your appeals and grievance letters.
Consumer And
Government Advocates
Many of these groups protect the consumer against unethical insurance
companies. May also furnish you with regulations if you ask.
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 (Consumer-SOS)
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Where
Else To Go For Help
Medical Bills (Consumer-SOS)
Cutting your costs, negotiating with insurance companies.
Office of
Attorney General's Health Care Unit-Pennsylvania (877-888-4877)
For Billing disputes, denials of coverage and access to care issues and
more. These problems can involve physicians or other professional health
services providers; hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities;
durable medical equipment providers; third party administrators; discount
medical benefit plans; laboratories or health or long term care insurers.
Low Cost Help For The
Uninsured (50 States & DC)
This Is The United Way Helpline
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 words
related to your search such as ""uninsured" and
"medical" or "uninsured" and "clinic."
http://www.consumer-action.org
Check out their website for information on health care,
privacy issues, insurance matters, pricing surveys on banking credit and other hot topics.
Consumer Action is also a lobbyist
group. Their representatives in
California and Washington DC promote laws
with consumer interests at heart.
The Joint Commission On Accreditation Of Heath Care
Organizations/Office Of Quality Monitoring(630)
792-5642
This trade organization consists of over 5,000 hospitals and
10,000
health care providers. All members
must be accredited and comply with the
Joint Commission's standards for excellence. Call them to complain
about the cleanliness or quality of care given by members belonging to their
organization.
Low Cost Medicines
One-stop link to thousands of low cost medicines offered through hundreds of
patient assistance programs sponsored by member companies, non-member companies
and government and local organizations.
Benefits Checkup
Find programs for people ages 55 and over that may pay for some of their costs
of prescription drugs, health care, utilities, and other essential items or
services. Please fill out their simple questionnaire to find programs that can
assist you or your loved ones.
The Medical Information Bureau (617) 426-3660
For a charge of $8.00 they will tell you if your medical
record
is kept on file. Give them a call
if you have been denied insurance
coverage and think such was based on an error
in your insurance records.
Department of Medical Assistance/Managed Care Division
The National Committee For Quality Assurance (800) 839-6487
This agency will tell you if your health plan meets their accreditation standards.
The Medicare Hotline (800) 772-1213
Call if you're a Medicare or Medicaid recipient unhappy with your
treatment. Don't hang up if you
hear a recording about social security. The automated system will eventually
offer Medicare options.
For
More Help contact your local TV and radio stations.
Large
companies hate bad publicity.
And the last thing your insurer/HMO wants is to be on TV for not paying
your claim. Get consumer help from Call
For Action and ask that someone call the insurer on your
behalf.
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INSURANCE
RESOURCES
http://www.insure.com/health/
Provides well written, authoritative advice on health
insurance, disability insurance, dental insurance, etc.
You can also link to insurance companies, quote services and agents, but
the selling is done off the insure.com site.
www.quotesmith.com
This site excels at comparing prices and terms from many firms. Their checklists
help determine if health factors bar you from a specific life policy.
Mental
Health
American
Psychiatric Association
Mental
Health Net
National Help Orgs For A
Variety Of Consumer Problems
The Elderly, Environment, Families, Fraud, Health & Safety, Insurance The
Handicapped, Medical Problems, Telemarketing and more.