I can't afford insurance. Are there programs to help me?

Depending upon your unique situation, you or your children may be eligible for one of several types of coverage provided under Medicaid, which provides health care coverage for families who meet certain income guidelines. You can apply for Medicaid and other benefits-like Food Stamps and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families--at any Division of Family Services county office. See Benefits for Families (http://outreach.missouri.edu/cfe/poverty/benefits.htm) for a set of links to information about social insurance and other important benefits and programs available to families.

Brenda Procter, M.S.,  Consumer and Family Economics, College of Human Environmental Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia

If you'd like to learn more about this and other personal finance topics, the University of Missouri offers 'Personal & Family Finance,' a correspondence course, through the Center for Distance and Independent Study (800-609-3727). Information about this course is available at http://cdis.missouri.edu/CourseInfo/DetailCourseInfo.asp?1985.

Last update: Tuesday, July 05, 2005