Medicare – the
Federal health insurance program for:
People age 65 and over, or
People under age 65 who are disabled,
And people who have
End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure that requires
regular dialysis or a kidney transplant)
VA
Health Care – health coverage for veterans
(women and men) who:
Were honorably discharged
Served one day of active duty before 9/7/80
Served two consecutive years of active
duty after 9/7/80
Were a National
Guardsman or reservist brought to active
duty by the President
Other Health Care Programs Are Available
While FirstStep focuses on mainstream
health care assistance, keep in mind other health
care programs can benefit your clients. For example,
most states have special programs for people with
HIV/AIDS. In addition, there are usually Health
Care for the Homeless Clinics and Pharmacy Assistance
Programs available. Check out the Tools
& Resources section for links to some
of these programs.
Free Medicine Is Available For People With Low-Income and Who Are Homeless
Many Pharmaceutical companies have programs that provide free medicine
to people with low income and who are homeless. For more information
about these programs, visit the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Web site at www.nami.org,
which provides a list of indigent drug programs you can access for
your client. However, accessing these programs
requires a doctor’s consent and proof of your client’s financial
status.
