Get Help from a Specialist

Most people don't know what a benefits counselor or a case manager does. Many think only those who are very poor or very wealthy get help from trained specialists. A large number of people think they can fill out a form from a government agency and get exactly what they need - or expect not to get any help at all. There are also people who believe the only way to get benefits like Social Security Disability, for example, is to hire a lawyer. The number of people that are eligible for health care insurance or government benefits is great. Why shouldn't any person residing in the United States be able to get the treatments and care they need by any of those methods?

Actually, some people do get what they need through their own efforts or with the assistance of a lawyer or a professional benefits manager or an employee at a state or federal agency. Those people are typically very well organized, very determined and patient, and very aware of how different state or federal bureaucracies work. That's how we assist people. It's a more involved process that many people know and doing it alone can be overwhelming.

It's also why not-for-profit organizations like The Network exist. The Access Project, which is our national program, is designed to help anyone who needs it. We don't bill anyone for our services or financially profit from The Access Project. We are able to do this through contributions from individuals - which are tax deductible - as well as through donations from foundations and corporations. We do not receive federal, state or city grants to run The Access Project, so that is a future goal of the program. What we do saves money, and would do the same for federal or state governments looking to improve public health and decrease the use of emergency rooms as primary care providers.

What Resources Exist?

Medicare Part D is the way that many people in the United States get their prescription drugs paid for. Did you know that there are drug discount cards, for example, that can really reduce the costs of your medications? There are Patient Assistance Programs offered by many pharmaceutical companies and you might be eligible for one of those. There is a government website that lists every Medicare Part D plan that you could get (depending on your income or your age, you may be eligible for special no or very low cost plans) and what drugs must be covered by every plan, for example. But there are also many not great choices you could make. Get and stay networked. The more we talk with each other and share our experiences and needs, the better the health care system will be. The better we will be able to advocate for your specific needs in a timely manner as well. Request Assistance, and please provide asmuch information as you feel comfortable providing. The reason why we ask for specific information about your income or assets is to determine what programs are available. We won't share that information with anyone unless it is required to get you services or treatment, and we will always ask you first if that is okay and describe how any information would be shared. Some - although not all - programs will require income verification and even how much money you have in the bank or whether you own any property or assets worth more than $10,000, for example.

Please note that we have enacted new security measures to protect information, and that you will be able to remove your contact information from our databases whenever you want to. If you opt to receive ongoing information through our mailing list, we'll remind you of that on every e-mail we send out.

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We know that people are very carefully watching whatever money they have and prioritizing their needs. But there are still programs available. Although we can't say that we can find insurance or health care for everyone, we're pretty experienced at locating resources of many kinds.You may not spend a lot of time tracking changes in the health care system, or even if your local hospital or clinic is still open. The last few months have brought great changes. Even if you are privately insured, you have to fight harder for health care. We do not have a universally accessible health care system in this country, but we're working on it. It is going to become harder and harder to get care that you could have gotten through a scheduled visit with a health care provider through the emergency room of a hospital.

We understand many of the issues that make emergency room care seem attractive, but it ends up costing everyone - including you - a whole lot more money. Plus you usually end up having a more serious, harder to treat condition than if you had taken the time and made the effort to get care before it reached the emergency room stage. We also understand that co-pays and deductibles associated with private insurance, state subsidized insurance, or Medicare can make accessing what you need impossible. Recent reports on the use of Cobra to keep health care insurance are distressing. How insurance companies operate has been called into question. But there are people who can help you navigate through a system that is rapidly changing, and making greater demands of you and your time and energy. A recent article points out some of the ways you can deal with these changes. Participating in The Access Project is one way, as is enrolling in our New York City case management program if you live in or receive services in New York City.