To many Americans, affordable health insurance can seem like an oxymoron. Most of us are used to hearing the news talk about how health insurance is constantly rising and the president describes the high cost of health care alone as a “ticking time bomb”.

It can be hard to find affordable health insurance in North Carolina, just like in all of the 49 others states. We can’t always sit around waiting for the government to intervene and figure out how to make health insurance affordable – legislation can take decades – so the best thing for us to do is figure out what is the best product to meet our needs.

Providing for children for affordable health insurance in North Carolina

Many parents just want to figure out how to pay for their children. North Carolina’s version of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP, is called Health Choice, and in 2007 it covered 113,000 children in low-income families. These parents generally are above the poverty level, and make too much to qualify for Medicaid, but are too poor to afford health insurance premiums, which can cost $10,000-$12,000 for a family without employers funding part of that. Families that can prove their income is less than $42,000 can qualify for it, one move to provide affordable health insurance in North Carolina. The families in the program pay $50 for enrollment of one child or $100 for two or more, then have co-payments of $20 for non-emergency visits to the ER, and $5 per physician or dental visit. As budget cuts have plagued states across the nation, this program could have been scaled back since 2007.

Medicaid for affordable health insurance in North Carolina

You or a family member may be eligible for Medicaid if you fall in one of the following categories: aged, blind and disabled; infants, children and families; long-term care; and Medicare recipients. You must be a U.S. citizen, be able to prove you live in North Carolina and either have a Social Security number or have applied for one. To be eligible, however, you must show that you fall into a low-income category, which can range from 100 percent to 200 percent of the poverty level, depending on your status.

Contacts for affordable health insurance in North Carolina

Every state has an office with information on health insurance. For example, North Carolina has the North Carolina Division of Medical Assistance. These offices are often located in the state capital, and you should be able to find someone who can help you.

You can also try to contact your congressman or senator to get information about affordable health insurance in North Carolina. Don’t ask a politician about his or her opinion of health insurance, but just get the information on what type of resources you can find based on your needs. You can also try to contact your state representative — he or she should be able to find some information for you.

What if you don’t qualify for SCHIP or Medicaid?

If you make too much money to qualify for even SCHIP, and you still feel like affordable health insurance in North Carolina is a myth, then shop around. Be ready to talk to a representative, and make sure he or she is friendly and truthful. Also, find the cheapest way to pay for it. Ask if there are fees to draft it out of your checking account every month, or for paying over the phone, or if paying with credit card is an option. Enter your zip code at the top of the page for your free insurance quote.