Sick Baby No Insurance

I'm sorry to hear that your baby is sick! I hope she feels better soon...I'm sorry that I don't have advice for this situation, but I have heard that the following health care works for uninsured Colorado Children:
http://www.cchp.org/chpweb/mainPage.cfm
Good luck!
K.

http://www.cchp.org go to this website, maybe it can help.

Hi V.,

I am a mother of 4 children and i have definetly been in your shoes with sick kids no insurance and not enough green stuff.

What I did when I needed to have my children seen by a Dr. was use my county resources. THey are really usefull but you may have to wait a lot to be seen. You can try to go to Denver HEALTH hospital to there clinic that goes by your income. You can also try any of the Tri-County health clinics. they have many programs to help you with Vaccinations and check ups not only for yourself but the kids as well.

I just recently started looking in to Discoutn health programs that cost around $50-$60 a month and you get a cash discounts at regular doctors offices. this is more money than utilizing community - health centers but is also an option. If you want to get more information on specifiic locations of clinics or insurance let me know.

This health care crisis is so frustrating and it breaks my heart that you're going through this. You can get inexpensive vaccinations through Tri County. When my kids were little (a LONG time ago), it was cheaper to get them through Tri County than through their pediatrician even though we had insurance! Also, check out SCHIP, a program to provide health care for kids with working parents who can't afford health insurance.
There is also a great family medicine program through St. Anthony North Hospital that can provide medical care for the whole family on an ability to pay basis. If you call Labor and Delivery there, they can give you the clinic number. As a neonatal nurse practitioner at another hospital I've worked with these residents and it's a great program. They seem to have a knack for choosing the nicest, brightest, most caring people around, and I'd recommend it over any other clinics, who often have less personal care. Good luck!

Hi V.,

I understand what you are going through, here is what i did when my children (my youngest being 3) were sick. Make sure that your daughter remains hydrated, if she still has an appetite that is a good sign. Also, try tepid baths if her fever goes over 102 rectally (remember to subtract a degree if you take her temp rectally, and add a degree if it is under her armpit). Sometimes a nice tepid bath, and a dose of tylenol before bed helps and remember that a fever is a good sign that the body is doing what it is supposed to.Worse case scenario if you have to take her to the doctor, the hospitals are set up to where you can pay monthly payments for her ER bill, and not as soon as she is discharged (usually about 2-500 dollars)at Childrens they can also set you up with a financial counselor. I would call them and ask to be transferred to the Child Health Clinic to get her a pediatrician if she doesn't have one already (I recommend Dr.Brayden) and at that point they can make an appt with a fin.coun. and all you have to do is bring proof of ID, bank statement,proof of residency, etc. I hope this helps and that your daughter gets better.

~K

With fevers, my ped (back in Michigan) always told us to "piggyback" Tylenol and Motron! By "piggyback" they mean give them Tylenol and then 3 hours later give them Motron! If you go back and forth between the two, you can give them medication every three hours instead of every 4! I have had to do this with my daughter, and it works great! Most doctors will tell you that, so unless the medicine doesn't reduce her fever at all (check her about 30 min-1 hour after she takes it) then don't take her to the hospital! If the medicine doesn't help at all, then worry and don't wait on taking her in! Doctors understand the money thing, and most are willing to work with people, as long as you make an effort to figure out what works for you to be able to pay them, and set it up with them!

Good luck,
C.

Hi V.,
I am a pediatric nurse. Right now what we are seeing on the floor is alot of respiratory issues. My advice would be to keep her well hydrated. Motrin is definitely a good idea. The advice from Childrens is good. If she is still running a fever for 72 hours you should take her in. Does she have respiratory issues? Is she having a hard time breathing? Is her nose running? If it is what color is it? Is she vomiting? Diarrhea? Is she pulling at her ears? Do you know of anything that she has been exposed to? There are alot of things to consider, but keeping her hydrated is big. Fevers take there toll quickly on little ones. Keep track of how many wet diapers you are changing. Does she have tears when she cries? Look at her tongue, is it moist? Or does it look sticky. All these are signs of dehydration. Sorry about all of the questions, I guess thats the profession. But if you have any questions please feel free to ask. There is also NO emergency room or urgent care center that can turn you away for no insurance. They actually should help you with the resources that you need. Good Luck, and the only thing you will probably get done while she is sick, is hold her. There is no one like mom when they are sick. Take Care,
L.

Is there a free clinic near you that you could take her to?

Also...for the future...you might look into Medicaid (gov't sponsored ins. for children under 18 for low income families) and if you don't qualify for Medicaid, check out this gov't website: http://www.insurekidsnow.gov/states.htm -- it's a new program to help get free/low cost insurance for kids under 18 who don't qualify for Medicaid.

the phone number is 1-877-KIDSNOW (it's toll free)

Take your daughter to the hospital.
Go to your county human services department and get her medicaid health insurance or child health plus.

Go to your local WIC (Women Infants, Children)- They can help you get shots, milk, cheese, beans, peanut butter, and cereal asap.

If you want to ask me any questions about this process call me at ###-###-####

Sincerely,
K.

I would check out the link for uninsured children that Katie gave you. If it weren't for the fact that your daughter is behind on vaccinations and it is flu season, I would tell you not to worry. But considering those two things, you should probably take her in. I know it's tough considering your money situation, but you want to rule out anything serious. Good luck!