Healthcare has been expensive most of its existence and even more so today, which is the reason at least 60 million Americans are going completely without it. We’ve all heard about the ongoing healthcare crisis within our nation, but analysts aren’t just talking about the rising costs of bills and doctors’ visits, they’re talking about those 60 million going sick and weary because they won’t go to the doctor while uninsured so their health suffers greatly as a result.  Their inability to pay and stop their credit score from dropping is keeping too many individuals from the care they desperately need. President Obama’s plan seems to work for some while it seems to be a complete waste of taxpayer money according to others.

Health insurance doesn’t seem to be a priority to everyone but as a mom, you should certainly keep your family covered to have regular check ups and get the vaccinations children need to prevent disease and epidemics. It is far more costly to pay medical bills in emergencies and other circumstances than a monthly premium.

To combat the expenses of both, take some time for the good of the family and consider the available options in health care for families.

Many states have at least one free health clinic per county so residents may walk in to see a doctor and get the kids the vaccinations they need anytime. Qualifying families may apply for the state medicaid programs so minor children can go to the pediatrician and emergency room for free or a state recommended doctor. States and the counties within will vary from one to another so it’s a good idea to call the county Department of Public Health office and ask doctors to learn about available programs to keep the family protected and prevent expensive medical bills from illness or breaking an arm.

For Moms whose family or children have been denied or do not qualify for Medicaid programs in their state, the next program is called Healthy Families in California that helps in very similar ways but has some cost, usually about $10 per month for families and millions more will qualify that did not meet requirements for Medicaid.  To find the program in your home state to cover the family when Medicaid won’t, visit www.insurekidsnow.org or call 1-877-543-7669 (1-877-KIDSNOW) for information state by state or go to healthinsurance.org to search for other plans no matter where your family lives in the states.

These state funded programs may not always cover dental cleanings or fillings so ask to see what is covered as programs and states Medicaid programs are all different in coverage options.

Top health insurance companies will certainly provide extensive coverage for eyeexams, dental cleanings, pediatric visits, emergency, and other options in all fifty states with an array of price ranges. For families that cannot afford the all-inclusive plans, generally these companies also have different packages and combinations of coverage down to just emergency visits for their cheapest rates. For example: Blue Cross and Blue Shield are top insurers with several plans for employers, individuals, and families for Mom and Dad to pick what is best to keep them and the children covered fot any medical need.

For more information about insurance companies such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield, their website gives resources for families in every state to find the right coverage for them for business, employer, and personal insurance.  Their “Blue Finder” section is designed to answer questions about coverage and offer potential and current clients ways to ask direct questions to receive answers with an insurance representative before buying a policy.  For online research, look through the list and descriptions of coverage choices to learn more about the company and get some information about each type of plan to compare with other companies.  Choosing a health insurance company is an important decision that affects the health of the family and the family bank account so don’t just read for five minutes and buy before you know what you will be paying each month.

Whoa is day care expensive! Each child costs a few hundred dollars a month just for them to be watched while they play and Mom and Dad go to work. The costs for every child are hard for many families to pay each month, especially during this recession when many lose pay from lost hours, lost jobs, and benefit reduction.

When day care costs become too high, for some families, the smarter decision is for one parent to stay at home with the children as the expenses of child care become the equivalent to a pay check. Others adjust their schedules so one parent can be home while the other works to drastically limit the amount a child is in day care so the bill becomes much lower, and others lean on family and friends more to watch the children.

When the bill continues to become too high, doing the math with a paper and pencil to make a new budget plan can tremendously help struggling families find areas to save money or re-work their schedules and jobs to adjust to the changing times and mounting bills.

Homeowners may refinance while renters may look for cheaper places to live to save a couple hundred dollars on a smaller place with less rent and electricity costs. Other households trade in their cars for one with a smaller payment or a used vehicle instead of a new one.  All across America, people are cutting back and saving money.

In addition to making major changes like the aforementioned, there are some other solutions that are smaller but can reap big benefits each month to bring in a little more cash.  One very simple method is getting an old jar from mayonnaise, peanut butter, etc and collecting everyone’s change each night into the jar until it’s full or you reach a goal amount.  It’s amazing how quickly $100 adds up just from emptying pockets everyday from the family and letting it add up.  That money can go to day care costs or gas and groceries.

Collecting change helps bring in some but of course it may not be enough to pay a child care bill; so while keeping coins, parents can also save money by carpooling, having family and friends babysit once in a while, buying less snacks and bringing a lunch to work.  The key is to find little tricks that save money here and there, then doing them all together to save a couple hundred bucks each month.

For moms and dads that are very tight on money, there are available programs to help pay or reduce the costs. Depending on the child care facility, they may provide discounts to those that have more than one child enrolled with them.  Most states also have their own programs to help needy families and single moms get help paying those child care expenses or programs to reduce the costs when the income isn’t enough to pay bills.

Most states, such as California, offer free child care from 9-5 for qualifying families and students with lower incomes.  Head Start is a program across the country that offers free day care for children from birth until they are ready to enter elementary school.  They also provide services to moms and dads to help their child grow properly nutritionally and developmentally to prepare for their school years ahead.  Their services provide resources to parents and single mothers to plan for the future for careers and parenting or refer them to other aid programs that may provide additional assistance.

As tax season begins, most parents could certainly use a huge tax break to help pay the costs for the year ahead.  The Child Tax Credit is awarded to single parents and married couples that had their children in day care the previous year while Mom and Dad worked or looked for work.  Parents may get up to a 30% tax relief on the expenses they paid last year.  The Child and Dependent Care Credit also helps and some families could receive both tax credits this year in their return.

For more information on tax credits and how to file them, visit tax services such as H&R Block; and for more information on saving on monthly day care bills, contact your child care provider and county Social Services building.