Tag: Medicare

Health, Healthcare Reform, Patient Assistance
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Understanding Health Insurance

by Richard Sagall, M.D. Insurance is really a simple concept. But few people, and even fewer politicians, seem to understand how insurance works and why so many of the promises we hear are impossible. Here are the basic concepts of insurance:   Number 1 – You Never Win with Insurance – You always lose with insurance. Think about what happens when you have health insurance.   Outcome 1 – You get sick, perhaps really sick, and you suffer while ill. You may experience long-term or even permanent disability from your illness. Or, in the worst case, you die. Your health […]

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Clinics, Health, NeedyMeds
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National Health Center Week

This week is National Health Center Week. As health care has become more and more expensive, the need for low-cost health care has increased. Many people living in more rural parts of the country have a very limited number of options to see a doctor, and depending on their insurance status the number of available “in-network” doctors is even lower. Many people do not regularly see their doctor, only seeking help when a more serious condition arises. It can be a scary situation to be uninsured and have an unforeseen medical problem come up. This week is meant to celebrate […]

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Clinics, Health, NeedyMeds
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Free, Low-Cost, & Sliding Scale Clinics

One of the most popular sections of the NeedyMeds website is our listing of Free, Low-Cost, and Sliding-Scale clinics. As health care has become more and more expensive, the need for low-cost health care has increased. Many people living in more rural parts of the country have a very limited number of options to see a doctor, and depending on their insurance status the number of available “in-network” doctors is even lower. Many people do not regularly see their doctor, only seeking help when a more serious condition arises. It can be a scary situation to be uninsured and have […]

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Healthcare Reform
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Medicare: 50 Years and Counting

Medicare is turning 50 this week. In July 1965, President Johnson led Congress to create a federal health insurance program under the Social Security Act. Medicare covers people over 65 years old and younger people with certain disabilities or diseases. According to recent Yale University study, Americans on Medicare are spending less time in the hospital, living longer, and spending less on hospital visits as compared to 15 years ago. The Yale study focused on Medicare beneficiaries over 65 years of age between the years of 1999 and 2013 and the trends in mortality, hospitalizations, and expenditures in that time.  […]

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Patient Assistance
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All About Government Programs

One often overlooked resource on the NeedyMeds website is our listings of Government Programs. These programs are state-specific, and help needy families and individuals with the cost of healthcare. We regularly update this database, which includes State-Sponsored Programs, Medicare Information, Medicaid Sites, State Health Insurance Assistance Program information, and Federal Poverty Level and Tax Return Request Form guidelines and information. If you are not having luck finding a PAP or co-pay program for your medication or particular disease, there may be a Government Program there to help.   State Sponsored Programs Programs that are created, sponsored, or funded by a […]

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About Us

Welcome to the NeedyMeds Voice! We look forward to presenting you with timely, provocative pieces on healthcare reform, patient advocacy, medication and healthcare access, and other health-related news. Our goals are to educate, enlighten, and elucidate; together, we will try to make sense of the myriad and ongoing healthcare-related changes in the U.S. today.