Five Nonprofits that Provide Free and Low-Cost Health Care Help

Since he began running for election, health care reform has been one of the primary components of President Barack Obama's platform - and his recent speech demonstrated that, despite our slumping economy, providing affordable health insurance to all Americans was still an essential part of his mission. He vowed that by the end of this year, he would sign a bill that would fix the U.S. health insurance system.

It's tough to dispute that the system is broken: today, more than 48 million Americans today have no health insurance, and millions more rely on inadequate coverage, such as the "swiss cheese" plans offered by groups like MEGA Life and Health Insurance, which provide coverage so limited that policy-holders can still rack up millions of dollars in debt if a medical catastrophe should occur. As the recession worsens, many employers are cutting back on health insurance coverage for their workers, or cancelling it altogether, putting workers in a dangerous position: the staggering cost of medical treatment causes a bankruptcy every 30 seconds, according to The Economist. The need for health care reform has never been so urgent.

President Obama has promised to make health insurance available and affordable to everyone in the country by introducing a public health care alternative - but he has many battles to face before Americans will see his vision come to life. So what can the struggling Americans with no or minimal insurance do until then?

Here are some nonprofits that can help the people who need it most - whether it's a struggling family in Alabama, your neighbor across the street, or maybe even you.

Patient Services, Inc. provides aid to uninsured and underinsured patients with any one of more than a dozen chronic medical conditions, including cystic fibrosis, primary immune deficiency, HIV/AIDS, and asthma. The organization offers a range of premium assistance programs as an alternative to high-cost private health insurance providers; subsidizes the cost of traditional health care premiums for patients who cannot afford to pay; and serves as an advocate to promote cheaper and more effective health care alternatives in the federal government. Your donation to PSI could mean the difference between life and death for someone in urgent need of care.

Children’s Health Fund was founded in 1987 by singer/songwriter Paul Simon and pediatrician Irwin Redlener, MD, with the goal of making sure that all children in America have access to comprehensive health care. The program began with a focus on one of the most underserved groups of children - homeless youth in New York City - but has since expanded nationwide to provide health care services to impoverished children in urban and rural areas. The organization partners with academic medical centers to provide care to children whose families cannot afford traditional health coverage, providing ongoing care to children, whether they are sick or healthy. CHF has provided medical care to more than 300,000 children across the country since the organization's establishment - a donation will help them to ensure that even more impoverished children get the best chance at a healthy start in life.

For patients with rare diseases or disorders, help isn't always easy to find. Some patients must see specialists thousands of miles away for treatment, and cannot afford to cover the costs of a medical airlift. Fortunately, Mercy Medical Airlift exists to provide free air transportation in specialized medical helicopters to patients in urgent need of care in a distant location. Since the group's founding in 1972, Mercy Medical Airlift has provided air transportation to more than 9,900 patients, helping those without the financial means to travel to specialists. To contribute to their cause, you can either donate your own US Airways frequent flyer miles, or make a financial contribution through Razoo.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women: each year, nearly 200,000 women in America will be diagnosed with the disease. But, because so many women lack adequate insurance, many more cases will not be detected early enough to treat, leading to thousands of unnecessary deaths. Houston, Texas-based nonprofit health clinic The Rose is working to ensure that all women have access to breast cancer screening and treatment, regardless of their ability to pay. Since 1987, the organization has provided comprehensive breast cancer screening-related health services for area women. The organization accepts health insurance for those who are covered, but provides care free of charge for those unable to pay for service. Each year, The Rose provides care to more than 50,000 women who often travel interstate to take advantage of the organization's service - a donation to the group will help pay for more screening services, ensuring that more women will have a shot at beating the horrible disease.

For 22 years, INMED Partnerships for Children has provided essential health services to mothers and children, both within impoverished urban communities in the United States and globally, in Brazil, Peru, South Africa, and the Caribbean. The organization provides educational campaigns for parents and local health care providers; provides children with free immunizations and disease prevention education; and engages children in community education programs including mentorship for at-risk youth, gang violence prevention, music education, and gardening. Everywhere the organization works, INMED is focused on providing the best possible start for children who would not normally have access to health services or community programs, and their results have been striking. One of their many successes is the Healthy Futures South Africa program, which has provided more than 10,000 schoolchildren in South Africa with a vegetable garden and educational courses in gardening and basic nutrition. As a result of the children's improved health, absenteeism at the participating schools is down by 15 percent. If you'd like to help impoverished children in the United States and throughout the world gain access to preventative health services and other educational programs that will keep them healthy for years to come, make a donation to INMED Partnerships for Children.

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