Health Care Assistance

There are four major mainstream benefit programs that can provide health care services for people who are homeless.

	Medicaid – the public health insurance program for people with low income and limited resources
	State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) – the public health insurance program for low-income, uninsured children 18 years of age or younger who do not qualify for Medicaid
	Medicare – the Federal health insurance program for: People age 65 and over, or People under age 65 who are disabled, And people who have End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure that requires regular dialysis or a kidney transplant)
	VA Health Care – health coverage for veterans (women and men) who: Were honorably discharged Served one day of active duty before 9/7/80 Served two consecutive years of active duty after 9/7/80 Were a National Guardsman or reservist brought to active duty by the President

Other Health Care Programs Are Available
While FirstStep focuses on mainstream health care assistance, keep in mind other health care programs can benefit your clients. For example, most states have special programs for people with HIV/AIDS. In addition, there are usually Health Care for the Homeless Clinics and Pharmacy Assistance Programs available. Check out the Tools & Resources section for links to some of these programs.

Free Medicine Is Available For People With Low-Income and Who Are Homeless
Many Pharmaceutical companies have programs that provide free medicine to people with low income and who are homeless. For more information about these programs, visit the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Web site at www.nami.org, which provides a list of indigent drug programs you can access for your client. However, accessing these programs requires a doctor’s consent and proof of your client’s financial status.