Help thru Application

It's a daunting task for many who wish to seek financial help in any way from government programs.  Many of us are not aware of the types of programs out there, what they specifically do, or how to apply for them.  My husband and I raise two kids on one income.  Because my children are still small, it is not cost efficient to work outside the home and hire someone else to watch our kids.  Unfortunately, we don't have relatives or grandparents who can (or are willing, lol) to lend us a hand.  When my husband became disable for a year, I found it nearly impossible to pay for health care for our two kids and myself.  So I went hunting, on the internet of course.  And I was surprised, against some major eye strain, that help was out there waiting for us to apply.  But of course, that's the feat.  You must find it yourself and apply for it.  But once you do (and if you qualify) you will be more than happy to take a little weight and worry off your tired shoulders!
The first and most important site I visited was Healthy Families Org for those of you who live in California.  For those of you who don't, you can visit Insure Kids Now to find your state local government funded insurance.  These sites provide you with details on how to apply for state Medi-cal which is free insurance if you qualify, if not then for Healthy Families, a low cost health insurance (anywhere from $2-24/child if you qualify) for kids 18 and under.  Families must meet income eligibility and have not had insurance from an employer (parent employer) within the past three months.  Applicants must also meet citizenship or immigration requirements.  Here is the Medi-cal and Healthy Families Income Eligibility chart.
If you meet the income guidelines than all you have to do is apply online here: Health-e-App
The network of doctors is the same network that most major insurance companies like Anthem or Healthnet offer.  If you are approved, you will also have dental and vision for the kids.  That's a great feature as both my little ones have already seen their eye doctor and the dreaded dentist, :(

Also for adults who no longer have employer insurance or cannot afford traditional insurance rates, I have a few suggestions.
Apply for a high deductible insurance with low monthly rates.  Then, join a non-profit base program like Health care resources foundation where you can get basic care for very low cost with a network of subscribing doctors and labs.  There is a low $20 fee monthly to join but you can still save in the long run with all preventive and routine work.  If you ever get into big accident then you have your high-deductible insurance to fall back on.

I hope those tips help some of you out.  God knows the one thing I worry about more than anything is my kids health.  It gives me a piece of mind to know my kids are protected.  Please post any comments below and let me know if you have any questions or have any ideas to offer!

Welcome To Low Income Parenting help!

Time's have been hard and they continue to be hard for most of us, especially those of us raising a family.  Whether you only have one or a brood load of kids, there's no question how hard the economy has hit us.  Surprisingly, many of us don't know where to turn for help...it's not like we can't get back on our feet...but a little help would be so greatly appreciated in these tough times.  Trying to find aid, grants, financial reprieve, and even health insurance is difficult.  We don't want to watch our kids go from having what they need to hearing us say, "sorry honey, we just can't afford it right now."  This is why I am creating this blog.  A place where people can find government programs, general tips, and even good sales on necessities of raising a child(ren).

I encourage every one to comment with additional info. or tips that can  help us parents out in any way.  I am always hungry for new knowledge!