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Lincoln Daily News contacted Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital to
better understand their position and how this family and others in
need might get help.
ALMH staff responded kindly and were appreciative of the
situation being brought to their attention. A representative said
that when needed, case managers have called the state Medicaid
office and advocated on behalf of the patient. ALMH would be
contacting this family to see how they can help.
The hospital provided the following statement about their care,
uninsured options and further contacts:
"It is the policy of the ALMH emergency room to provide our
patients who need medications with a prescription to be filled at a
local pharmacy of their choice and enough meds to help them meet
their dosage requirements until the pharmacy opens the next day.
"The ALMH case management team is available to work with all
emergency room patients to ease their transition home. This includes
identifying various sources of pharmaceutical assistance if patients
do not have a payment source for those medications that will improve
their health."
For those who are uninsured, the
Uninsured Ombudsman Program was established by Public Act 92-331 on
Jan.1, 2002. The purpose of the program is to provide assistance and
education to Illinois consumers who:
-
Have no health
insurance.
-
Are about to lose
health insurance.
-
Cannot afford to purchase health
insurance.
[to top of second column in this article]
 |
 The Uninsured Ombudsman Program may
be able to assist by:
-
Providing
information on state and federal programs that may be available.
-
Explaining
continuation rights under an existing health plan.
-
Providing help on how to shop for
health insurance.
The ombudsman staff can answer questions about obtaining health
insurance and supply information on resources available throughout
the state that might be able to provide health care options for
individuals seeking treatment.
The Uninsured Ombudsman Program is located within the Office of
Consumer Health Insurance. You may contact the program by calling
that office toll-free at 877-527-9431.
State phone numbers that might be of
help:
-
Office of Consumer
Health Insurance, 877-527-9431
-
Comprehensive
Health Insurance Plan, CHIP, 866-851-2751
-
Attorney general's
toll-free line, 877-305-5145
-
KidCare,
800-226-0768
-
Medicare toll-free line, 800-638-6833
[LDN and ALMH staff]
[Posted
August 19, 2009]
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