medical care

Free clinics and the uninsured are paying a heavy price for the nation's teetering recovery: More than half of the clinics are now time turning away eligible patients -- many for the first time -- according to an AmeriCares report published Wednesday.

One of the most costly mistakes people make when it comes to medical care is assuming that using your health insurance -- if you're lucky enough to have it -- is always the best way to go. But there are times when it may just be cheaper to negotiate with your doctors and pay out of pocket.

A year after President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law, many Americans are still struggling to get their insurance to cover basic medical treatments. And now, they are increasingly exploring less expensive alternatives to traditional Western medicine -- like acupuncture.

Being frugal is smart, and these days, it's fashionable too. But going too far in your attempts to save can have financial consequences that may leave you significantly worse off. Here are nine ways you shouldn't cut corners.

It's hard to make huge changes in your spending habits all at once. To reach your new year's resolution to manage your finances better, try small steps instead. Financial experts offer 10 easy suggestions that could help you spend less and save more in 2011.

As health-care costs skyrocket, the ranks of uninsured Americans are growing at their fastest rate ever. A new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities finds that 50.7 million people, or 16.7% of the population, had no health coverage in 2009, up from 46.4 million, or 15.4%, in 2008.

At prices as low as $40 a month, some medical groups are offering something that's cheaper than a gym membership, and just as good for your health -- unlimited access to their services without having to go through an insurance company. The plans are called Direct Medical Care -- and go by other...

Everyone knows there are identity thieves who want to drain your bank accounts and siphon off your credit. But did you know there are scam artists out to steal your health benefits? So far, 1.5 million Americans have suffered from medical identity theft, at a cost of $29 billion.

Good or bad, some of the first fruits of healthcare reform arrive on September 23. For many families, the immediate results could be more freedom to pick doctors, lower costs for immunizations and other preventative services, and an easier time insuring their children. While the full healthcare...

Like many Americans today, Kathy Myers is unemployed. She worked for a hazardous waste-removal company, and now joins the more than 1.2 million Michigan residents without health insurance. Due to an excruciating pain in her right shoulder, Myers took it upon herself to make matters worse by...