Healthy Aging

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Paying for Health Care

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• Additional Resources

Even if you don't have any ongoing health problems, taking care of your physical health is important. Keeping active and making healthy food choices can help. But you also need to see your doctor for regular checkups, as well as screening tests and vaccines you may need. Health insurance can pay for this care. It is a formal agreement to provide and pay for medical care. What is covered depends on the type of insurance you have. Health insurance options for older adults include Medicare, Medicaid, and individual policies. There are also programs that can help those who can’t get or pay for health insurance. Programs also can help insured people who need additional services. Read on to learn more about paying for health care.

• Medicare
• Medicaid
• Individual Insurance
• Coping Without Insurance

Additional Resources

Publications

1.   Fact Sheet — Health Insurance and Women — This publication explains what health insurance is and how it affects women. It gives information on health care options, what to do if you're uninsured, what to do if you don't qualify for government benefits, and what you can do to protect your health insurance benefits.

   http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/health-insurance-women.cfm

2.   Age Page: Choosing a Doctor — This publication gives step-by-step guidelines for distinguishing primary care doctors and offering helpful hints about finding the right doctor.

   http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/choosing.htm

3.     Health Reform for American Seniors — There is a lot of confusion over what the recent health care reform means for Americans. This fact sheet sets the record straight on how the Affordable Care Act affects Americans as they get older.

   http://www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/health_reform_for_seniors.pdf

4.   Questions and Answers About Health Insurance: A Consumer Guide — This guide describes different kinds of health insurance plans and answers common questions. There is a glossary of health insurance terms as well as a list of resources for more information.

   http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/insuranceqa/

5. Health Care — Health Insurance (Copyright © Baylor College of Medicine) — This publication lists the barriers that limit the access to adequate health insurance for women with disabilities.

   http://www.bcm.edu/crowd/?pmid=1433

6. Questions and Answers About Health Insurance (Copyright © America’s Health Insurance Plans) — This guide briefly describes the different kinds of health insurance plans available today. These include network-based plans, non-network based coverage, and consumer-directed health plans. Also, you will find answers to many common questions about health insurance. Resources are provided at the end of the booklet to help you find additional, more detailed information.

   http://www.ahip.org/content/default.aspx?bc=41|329|20888

Organizations

1.   Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, OPHS, HHS
2.   National Institute on Aging, NIH, HHS
3. America’s Health Insurance Plans
4. HealthReform.gov

= Indicates Federal Resources

Content last updated August 12, 2010.