This is not an article about how to get free health care insurance or insurance coverage. This article addresses how to get free medical care in certain circumstances.

Hospital Care

If you are ever in need to hospital care, expect even a short stay to cost tens of thousands of dollars. If you do not have health insurance coverage, just a stay of a few days can bring you financial ruin and bankruptcy. If you need hospital care and do not have insurance or cannot afford to pay for the care, contact the Hill-Burton Hotline at 800-638-0742. Through this program, hundreds of hospitals and care facilities participate in a no-cost program for providing health care services to those who cannot pay.

In 1946, Congress passed a law that gave hospitals, nursing homes and other health facilities grants and loans for construction and modernization. In return, they agreed to provide a reasonable volume of services to persons unable to pay and to make their services available to all persons residing in the facility's area. The program stopped providing funds in 1997, but about 200 health care facilities nationwide are still obligated to provide free or reduced-cost care.

Eye Care

Buy a newspaper or pick up a Yellow pages and check out the community service section pages. Often there will be announcements by the Kiwanis or Lions Clubs of America discussing programs that provide for free or very low-cost eye care services, eyeglasses and eye exams. There may also be help from your individual state's Elderly or Aging Office. Each state is different but most have a wide variety of eye-care programs. You can find more information at http://www.eldercare.gov

Free Dental Care

When you are in need of dental services, consider having these service performed at any one of more than 50 dental schools across the country. Each dental school operates a learning clinic that provides basic dentistry services that include cleanings, X-rays, checkups and fillings. Each clinic is different but there is a good chance that you can also get more advanced services such as crowns, root canal, bridges and denture work done at greatly reduced prices. The savings come from the fact that students do the work but they are learning under the direct supervision of licensed professors. To locate a dental school, just go the American Dental Education Associations web site at http://www.adea.org. Look for a link about "Dental Schools" or something referring to education programs. While at the site, check for a list of dentists who volunteer their services to assist those without insurance and who cannot afford to pay for basic dental care.

You can also check with colleges and universities in your area directly and inquire as to whether or not they have dental schools and a program similar to the one described herein.