551-a1-w4. Health Care. Health, Medicine, Nursing Essay

Health Care
Name:
Institution:
Course:
Date:
HEALTH CARE
The mother and a child need assistance with their financial situation, especially considering that, the child is asthmatic and will require constant medication to contain his health condition. More importantly is the fact that, they will need to return for clinic checkups to evaluate the state of the condition with the child, relative to the medication prescribed (Covered California, 2018). California has had several programs that are geared towards assisting patients that are struggling financially access health care at more affordable costs.
Before The Low-Income Health Program (LIHP), which came to an end in the year 2013 on 31st December; there was the Health Care Coverage Initiative (HCCI) program. These two are longer operational as they have since been closed. Currently, Californians of lower income tiers can access quality health care under the Medi-Cal Program. This is a program that started on 1st January of 2013 following the close of the LIPH. There is a wide variety of services that the mother and child can access as the program targets adults and children from low income background. This is a conglomerate of many different programs. Given that the mother and child are citizens of California, US citizen, and of permanent residence, they pass the first criterion (Covered California, 2018). The program also states that, beneficiaries have to be in need of insurance assistance and their financial situation classified as low to very low income. Finally, given that they are a family means they are eligible. The program is under the Affordable Care Act and as such follows the legal requirements of the land. Out of the ten comprehensive services that are offered under the essential health benefits, the mother and child will have access to the outpatient (ambulatory) services, pulmonary rehabilitation under the rehabilitative and habilitative services and prescription drugs.
Under the prescription of drugs, Med-Cal is very extensive on the services that it offers the patients that are from the lower income docket, those that are blind and even the elderly. In this case, the mother and child belong to the first category of those that are in the low income bracket. As such they qualify for the prescription services, where they will have three main options; the services can be free, they may be required to pay a small premium or they may also be required to have spent some money before the aid comes in. This is also an element that is covered in the Medicaid and as such the patient will be assisted on the same ("California Medicaid | Benefits.gov", 2018).
‘Private drug companies offer programs that help low income people afford prescription drugs. Each PAP has its own rules about eligibility and what they will pay for. Many of these companies are part of a group called PhRMA. You can search a directory of PAPs offered by PhRMA members. You will have to have information about your income and drug needs in order to find a PAP that meets your needs.’(World Institute on Disability, 2018).
As mentioned above, it is important to consider patient assisted programs, PAPs. These are programs that are run by the private drug companies to assist l...