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As you focus on how to get your child the appropriate help, the issue of how to pay for this help is unavoidable. If you have good medical coverage, try to access providers within your coverage to minimize costs. If you do not have insurance, here are some possible options to find coverage and minimize out-of-pocket expenses:
• Parental coverage: In the case of separation or divorce, an ex-spouse may be able to add a child onto his or her existing insurance plan.
• State insurance: Every state offers a health insurance program for children. This insurance is available either free or at low cost to eligible families. Check http://www.insurekidsnow.gov to see if your child qualifies.
• Medicaid coverage: Families with limited income and means may qualify for free medical coverage under the Medicaid program. To find your state’s Medicaid information, visit http://64.82.65.67/medicaid/states.html.
• Medicaid waiver: A child may qualify for Medicaid coverage through a Medicaid waiver such as the Katie Beckett waiver. This allows children with severe medical conditions to be covered even when their family’s income surpasses normal income eligibility requirements.
• Social Security disability program: If your child’s condition is severe and persistent, he may qualify for medical coverage under the Social Security disability program. To see if your child qualifies, visit http://www.ssa.gov/disability/.
• Patient assistance programs: Pharmaceutical companies have established programs for needy patients; in some cases, medications can be received at no charge. For more information, go to http://www.needymeds.com.
• Medication samples: While waiting to qualify for one of these programs, check with your child’s psychiatrist and pediatrician to see if medication samples are available.
• Local charity groups: Local charity groups may offer to pay for some medical bills or prescriptions. The St. Vincent de Paul Pharmacy offers free medications in some areas to families who are in desperate need. They also offer advocate assistance to access other programs of care. Learn more about this charity at http://svdpusa.org/, or look in your local white pages under “Society of St.Vincent de Paul.”
We hope you enjoyed this excerpt from The Childhood Bipolar Disorder Answer Book. For more excerpts please visit:
www.childhoodbipolaronline.com
Also don't forget to use the templates on this site as a companion to the action plans found throughout the book: http://childhoodbipolaronline.com/templates.aspx | 
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Everyone knows that spending the money you have is easy, but saving the money you have can be hard. The trick is to learn how to manage it. Managing your money can be harder for someone with mood swings. When you're manic you tend to buy a lot more than you need or even want, and when you're depressed you may not spend anything at all. Spending or saving money can also be a compulsion for some people. Like most teens, I like to spend the money I make, but I also know that I should put some into savings. Here's a few tips I’ve found worked (most of the time anyway) 
