| Parents of children with chronic diseases know all too | | | | private insurance through your employer, you need |
| well, there's more to caring for a child than giving | | | | to explore what it covers. Inpatient (in-hospital) and |
| medicine and getting to doctors appointments. | | | | outpatient (office) benefits may be treated |
| There's also a sea of bureaucracy the "health care | | | | differently and may include copays and deductibles |
| system" of insurance forms, referrals, specialists, bills, | | | | that come out of your pocket before the insurance |
| copays, deductibles, prescriptions, medical devices. | | | | coverage starts to pay. Some insurance plans provide |
| Caring for a child with asthma may sometimes feel | | | | full payment only to providers who are within the |
| like a journey across unfamiliar waters. Your primary | | | | plan's own "network." If this is the case, it's important |
| care provider's office may serve as a home base, | | | | to be sure that the network includes your child's |
| but other important ports of call may include | | | | primary care doctor or pediatrician, nurse practitioner, |
| subspecialists, visiting nurses, medical supply | | | | and other health care professionals. A referral from |
| companies, and other providers. Unfortunately, the | | | | your primary care provider may be needed for the |
| coordinates for this journey are not mapped out | | | | insurance plan to cover fully any specialists, such as |
| clearly for you in advance. Our health care system is | | | | allergy or pulmonary doctors. With the increasing |
| complex and ever changing. Financial and bureaucratic | | | | costs of medicines, most insurance companies have |
| obstacles still prevent many children from receiving | | | | cut back on prescription plans. Many plans include |
| the care they need.Social workers can help families | | | | copays, prior authorization, or require the use of a |
| work through these challenges. You are fortunate if a | | | | mail order prescription company. Generic forms of |
| social worker is playing an active role on your child's | | | | some asthma medicines are available and may result |
| team. If not, an experienced social worker has | | | | in lower costs if prescribed by your doctor or nurse |
| contributed information to this topic that will give you | | | | practitioner. By and large, generic drugs for asthma |
| insight into successfully navigating the health care | | | | work just as well as name brands. If your insurance |
| system. You can use this information to help create a | | | | does not cover prescriptions, there are other options |
| team that includes your child's doctor and other | | | | to consider. Some pharmaceutical companies offer |
| health care professionals. Parents should not have to | | | | assistance plans; information can be obtained by |
| carry the burden alone. Private Health | | | | contacting the individual company directly. Clinical |
| InsuranceAsthma care and medicines are expensive, | | | | research trials also will sometimes cover the cost of |
| and obtaining the right health insurance is an | | | | medicines. Information about clinical trials can be |
| important first step in accessing the health care | | | | obtained through drug companies, your physician, or |
| system. Recent changes in the law provide the | | | | through an Internet site set up by the National |
| opportunity for virtually every child in every state to | | | | Institutes of Health ( Durable medical equipment, such |
| qualify for some form of health insurance. The rules | | | | as nebulizers and other home care needs, are |
| and steps involved are complex, however, and may | | | | covered differently by insurance plans. Some forms |
| leave many gaps in the care that is provided. Gone | | | | of equipment, such as spacers, can be ordered at |
| are the days when parents could assume that any | | | | low cost from organizations such as the Allergy & |
| type of health insurance would pay for all the care | | | | Asthma Network: Mothers of Asthmatics ( or |
| that a child with asthma requires. If your child has | | | | 1-800-878-4403 ). |