Consumer Healthcare Choices

A Consumer's Guide to Health Insurance and Health Programs in North Carolina
A Consumer's Guide was written to help everyone navigate the health system, whether it involves understanding their private health insurance coverage, identifying available public programs, or finding community health centers in their area. We've tried to use language throughout the book that makes sense to ordinary people, but that was not always possible. We've included a glossary at the end of the book for these health care and health insurance terms and acronyms.

Each chapter of the book begins with a brief introduction to the topic, which tells you what it is and who it is for. This way, you should be able to tell at a glance if a particular type of insurance or program applies to you. The rest of the chapter describes the program in more detail, including specifics about the benefits, costs, and eligibility rules that apply to the program. The end of the chapter includes information about the relevant laws governing the insurance or public program and who to contact for more information.

Limited copies are availabe. If you would like a hard copy of the Consumer's Guide, please mail your request to the NC Institute of Medicine on agency letterhead along with a check for $5 to cover postage and processing. Additional copies and copies for individual use are $20.

North Carolina Consumer's Guide to Health Plan Selection (last updated in 2001--available on-line only)
This is an Internet guide to managed care plans in North Carolina. The NC Council on Developmental Disabilities and AHEC Area L. Foundation provided funding for the project.

North Carolina Programs Serving Young Children and Their Families
This book was written to help families and service providers understand some of the basic program rules for the programs available to serve young children and their families.

Limited copies are availabe. If you would like a hard copy of North Carolina Programs Serving Young Children and Their Families, please mail your request to the NC Institute of Medicine on agency letterhead along with a check for $5 to cover postage and processing. Additional copies and copies for individual use are $20.