As many as 47 million Americans have no health insurance, and in any given two year period about a third of Americans will go without health insurance at some point. For low income Americans, the prospect of spending some of their hard earned cash on insurance just doesn’t seem possible-it is difficult enough making ends meet. When these people end up sick or injured, however, the costs are even more intense, and millions have gone bankrupt under these circumstances.

Yet between government programs and low cost insurers, getting at least basic coverage is in fact possible for low income families. Here’s what you should know.

First, there is the main federal health insurance program for low income individuals and families-Medicaid. Medicaid is financed in part by each of the fifty states, and each state runs its own Medicaid program. As a result, eligibility differs from state to state-in most places you must be below the poverty line to receive these benefits. Pregnant women, people with HIV/AIDS and people with disabilities may be eligible at higher income levels. The poverty line in the US is $10,830 a year for an individual and $22,050 for a family of four.

Another government program available to low income families is the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (or SCHIP). Like Medicaid (and as its name would suggest), SCHIP is administered on the state level, and so eligibility differs from place to place. In general, you must be over the poverty line (otherwise ineligible for Medicaid), but have a family income less than 200% of the poverty line. The program will cover your children, and if you are pregnant it will provide prenatal care.

Some insurers also offer low cost health insurance, typically with restricted coverage. This is to say that dental and eye care are likely not covered, and your benefits may max out at only a few thousand dollars. When researching low cost insurance options, beware that you aren’t paying more in premiums every year than you would be receiving in coverage. Most often these programs simply cover emergency or catastrophic costs, while doing little to cover checkups or routine medical care.

Health insurance exists to provide you with peace of mind. When your income makes getting such coverage difficult, the government and some insurers may be able to help. Do your research and you can find a plan that works for you today!

By: Jackie Jones