Even with government health care plans and programs, there are always some people who either fall through the cracks and don't have insurance or who don't have enough coverage to take care of their health needs. There are agencies that can help those people get the medical treatment that they need. One type of these agencies is a health care coalition. 

What Is a Health Care Coalition?

A health care coalition is a group of agencies that get together in order to provide health care assistance or decisions. A low-income health care coalition is one that is organized in order to help low-income people get the health care they need. The agencies that could be part of a health coalition like this would include doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, and administrators. 

How Does a Health Care Coalition Work?

There are different ways that a coalition can work. One of them is that they can have a clinic that qualifying people can go to. The clinic may only be open on certain days but may offer hours in the evening and on weekends for people who work and can't get in during normal working hours. The clinic may also offer days when optometrists or dentists are in to see people. Many government health care programs don't cover vision or dental care or cover minimal care. 

Another way that a low-income health care coalitions can work is that they can offer vouchers for people to get the care that they need. For example, the coalition can work with a particular eyeglass store. When a client of the coalition needs glasses, the coalition will give the client a voucher to go to that particular store. Using the voucher, the client will be able to pick out a pair of frames and get their glasses made so that they can see. Generally, the voucher will only cover up to a certain dollar amount, such as $75 for the frames, and then include basic lenses, either single-vision or bifocals. 

Low-income people have a hard time getting all of their medical needs met. Even those who qualify for government programs like Medicare/Medicaid don't always have the access to all the care that they need. As an example, the dental care they have access to may pull a tooth but not pay for a cavity to be filled. A low-income health care coalition can help to cover the gaps and help people who fall through the cracks. 

For more information on health coalitions, contact a coalition like Employers Health Coalition.