Health care law encompasses the laws and regulations governing hospital and health care administration, and an understanding of health care insurance is integral to it. There are significant differences in the types and amount of coverage provided by various private insurance policies, such as HMOs, PPOs, disability insurance, and hospital indemnity insurance, just as there are important differences in the cost to the purchasers of health insurance. There are also public health care insurance programs. Elderly and disabled persons may be eligible for coverage through the federal Medicare program. The joint state-federal Medicaid program helps certain individuals, including disabled persons and low-income elderly persons, pay for long-term care and in-home health care.
Laurens is a city in Laurens County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 9,916 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Laurens County. Located in the western part of South Carolina, it is named after Henry Laurens, who was president of the Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War. It is part of the Greenville–Mauldin–Easley Metropolitan Statistical Area. Original maps indicate the town may have originally been called Laurensville. The earliest known reference to the name Laurens is a town charter in 1873. Laurens and Laurens County is part of the Old 96 District, which also includes Abbeville County, Greenwood County, McCormick County, and Edgefield County. The textile, manufacturing, and glass industry was at one point a major source of employment; however, most have closed over the last 30 years, which has significantly hurt the city and its economic conditions. The unemployment rate, as of February, 2009, sat at 11.3%. Walmart operates a distribution center outside of the city near Interstate 385, which serves as a major employer. Although the economic, crime and unemployment issues have been significant hurdles, the area has seen several recent economic retail developments. Laurens was the town chosen for a makeover in the second season of Town Haul. Laurens is home to Gary Davis and Pink Anderson, acoustic blues musicians who were born in the city, as well as Redtop Davis, lightweight boxer of the 1940s and 1950s.