Staying healthy can be a mission, particularly in the rush of today’s modern world.
Tips and tricks are essential strategies for better health and wellbeing, but sometimes you need access to professional women’s health services. But how do you find them? More importantly, how do you find health services you can afford?
Here are a few ways you can find and access affordable health services.
Community Health Centers
If you don’t qualify for Medicaid coverage and can’t afford a health plan you can access women’s health services through your local community health center. They’re low-cost and how much you actually pay will depend on your income.
Community health centers are in both rural and urban areas. They offer many services including prenatal care, baby shots, and referrals for specialized care.
High School Wellness Centers
Many high schools have wellness centers that provide basic health services. If you’re a student at a school with a wellness center, you can access these services free of charge.
Wellness centers are different from school to school, but most provide the following:
- Treatment for when you’re sick
- Simple lab tests for diagnosing potential health problems
- Preventive care including routine checkups and sports physicals
- Immunizations
- Mental health services
- Substance abuse care and prevention
- Sexual health care and education
- General health education
Not all schools provide all these services. It’s important you check what services your school provides. Most schools will have a list on their website or a brochure available.
Most wellness centers need you to have parental consent to use their services. This will likely involve having a parent or guardian sign a general form. The form won’t give details on what kinds of services you’re accessing. That said it’s still a good idea to ask staff about confidentiality if you don’t want a parent or guardian to know why you’re accessing a wellness center.
College Student Health Centers
Many colleges offer a low-cost insurance plan. You simply sign up as you register as a student. This insurance will let you access the on-campus college student health centers.
Family Planning Clinics
Family Planning Clinics are a staple of women’s health care for a reason. They provide many women’s health services including:
- Pregnancy testing
- Ultrasound exams
- STI testing
- Birth control services
Most major cities have at least a couple of birth control clinic locations. The Office of Population affairs provides a free tool for locating a clinic in your area.
Free and Low-Cost Clinics and Health Centers
There are many free or low-cost health clinics around the U.S. The trick is finding them.
Sites like freeclinics.com let you search for free and low-cost clinics in your area. Most low-cost clinics will be income-based, meaning you’ll be charged depending on your income. While finding women’s health services specifically can take a bit of digging, it’s possible to significantly narrow down the clinics in your area by price.
Affordable Women’s Health Services Isn’t a Pipe Dream
We live in a tumultuous time for women’s reproductive rights. But accessing affordable health care is still possible. Using the above services will ensure you stay happy and healthy. Which means you’ll be able to give your best to your career and family.
Looking for ways to improve your health at home? Read about why diet and exercise are the keys to a healthy life.