Morgan's Sharebook 

Currently the unemployment rate is 8.9% with a total loss of jobs at 539,000 as of April. Our health care system uses the employer as a sponsor for health insurance between the employee and the health insurance company. The issue is what happens when we lose our jobs? We also lose our health coverage because the employer is the intermediary, without the link are only choices for health coverage are state and federal coverage such as Medicare or Medicaid, or purchasing a private plan. If you suffer from prolonged unemployment you will qualify for Medicare or Medicaid but what if the person is hired again, the employer does not offer insurance and you make too much to qualify for state or federal insurance?

I have been looking lately at medical discount cards. There have been quite a few that are not worth the fees that the companies promoting them charge. Also care must be taken that the card is actually accepted by enough doctors in your area that you can use the card. What good is a medical discount card if no one accepts it? I have found two states which license some companies which offer medical discount cards. Licensing for discount card providers is still in its formulate stage so many states do not offer certification. The good news is that some of these state licensed companies operate in multiple regions, maybe in yours.

Here are the links:

Illinois

Connecticut