1. (NU) -There are approximate-
ly 50 million uninsured people in
the U.S. Of those uninsured, young
adults are among the highest
groups without health insurance.
For childhood cancer survivors,
however, going without health in-
surance is not an option.
“As a cancer survivor, you will
need health insurance more than
ever,” says Pam Gabris, Beyond
the Cure Coordinator. “If you don’t
have a lapse in coverage, an insurer
cannot deny coverage for your ill-
ness or related health problems.
It’s critical that you fully under-
stand your rights and responsibil-
ities under your health insurance
plan to ensure continuous, de-
pendable coverage.”
Currently, theAffordable Care
Act passed in 2010 allows young
adults to be insured as dependents
on their parents’ health insurance
if they are under the age of 26. But
if that isn’t an option, there are oth-
er insurance opportunities:
Employer-Provided Insur-
ance. Typically, health insurance
offered by employers is a form of
managed care. The most common
types of managed care are Pre-
ferred Provider Organizations
(PPO), Point of Service Plans
(POS), Health Maintenance Orga-
nizations (HMO) and Health Sav-
ingsAccount (HSA). For questions
about which type of policy you are
covered under, talk to your human
resources manager.
Group Insurance. If you are
self-employed, or if your compa-
ny doesn’t provide coverage,
group health care policies are
sometimes offered through orga-
nizations such as labor unions,
fraternal and business organiza-
tions, student associations or oth-
er special-interest groups. Be sure
to check with your state’s insur-
ance office to avoid fraudulent
providers.
State and Federal Programs.
Check to see if you qualify for state
or federal health insurance through
Medicaid or State Children’s
Health Insurance Programs (S-
CHIP).As of 2010, pre-existing in-
surance is available in all states ac-
cording to theAffordable CareAct.
Drug Coverage Programs.
Programs like the Medicare Pre-
scription Drug Discount Card and
theTogether RxAccess Card offer
relief to prescription drug prices.
The National Children’s Cancer
Society (NCCS) also offers a free
prescription drug card that pro-
vides significant savings on gener-
ic and branded drugs. Visit
theNCCS.agelity.com to locate
participating pharmacies and print
a card.
Individual Policies. Purchas-
ing individual policies can be very
expensive, so make sure you ex-
haust other options first.To get the
most of your plan, talk to an in-
surance broker or contact the Na-
tional Association of Insurance
Commissioners.
Visit beyondthecure.org to
learn more.
AChildhood Cancer Survivor’s
Map to Health Insurance
HEAltH
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It’s important to discuss
health insurance options.
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