medical bills,found hospital program to cut costs dramatically

robang13
robang13 Member Posts: 333
edited May 2011 in Breast Cancer #1
Remember when was asking about how you pay your medical bills? Well, I was told to see if the hospital I received my surgeries at offered any services to help with that part of the expenses. I had 1 procedure and 2 surgeries w/i 3 weeks and the bills for that alone added up. Well, on the bottom of my bill was a number to call for the hospital charity program. I called and was sent a form to fill out. On it I had to send 2 pay stubs plus list all my monthly expenses. Well, I was excepted and it brought all 3 bills down to $100!!! A far cry from the $3000 I owed. So, my advice is to see if your hospital offers something similar and to not be ashamed to ask. I never thought I would be excepted and was. So, while that is only part of my medical expenses it did help take the load off.It's also in force for a full year, so if I had to go back in I would still be covered.

Angela

Comments

  • tommaseena
    tommaseena Member Posts: 1,769
    I didn't qualify
    I didn't qualify at my hospital but since I make monthly payments at the end of each year they take some off my balance which helps in the long run. It is a Christmas present each year to myself for keeping up with my payments.

    The balance they write off is much more than what I pay in a year.

    This is from a special grant they have for people that make an effort to pay their bills.

    Margo
  • jessiesmom1
    jessiesmom1 Member Posts: 915 Member
    Those BIG Medical Bills
    Hi Angela,

    I am so glad that you were accepted into your hospital's charity program. I am sure it is a big relief. You have enough to worry about without having to be anxious about how to pay your bills and what non-payment might due to your credit. Congratulations on your that acceptance.

    IRENE
  • LVG
    LVG Member Posts: 128

    Those BIG Medical Bills
    Hi Angela,

    I am so glad that you were accepted into your hospital's charity program. I am sure it is a big relief. You have enough to worry about without having to be anxious about how to pay your bills and what non-payment might due to your credit. Congratulations on your that acceptance.

    IRENE

    Great news...
    This is really good news to hear from you ~ I was wondering if you had a chance to find help.
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333

    I didn't qualify
    I didn't qualify at my hospital but since I make monthly payments at the end of each year they take some off my balance which helps in the long run. It is a Christmas present each year to myself for keeping up with my payments.

    The balance they write off is much more than what I pay in a year.

    This is from a special grant they have for people that make an effort to pay their bills.

    Margo

    @margo that's good too.It's
    @margo that's good too.It's nice that they reward you for trying to pay off that balance.You can only do what you can do. You know, I've had surgeries in the past for "regular" things and then went on a payment plan to pay off the balance. I'm still paying off one such surgery. I never gave it a thought to see what kind of help was out there, figuring it was a bill that had to be paid no matter what. This time around was different though since I knew it wasn't just one surgery and I didn't know what lay ahead. I am paying the anesthesiologists alone $1200 and there isn't any help for them~ I just couldn't imagine how many years I would be on a payment plan if I had to pay the hospital in full. I really didn't think I would qualify but I guess hubby getting a cut in pay helped us there. Now I'm waiting on the radiology bills. Hopefully they will take a payment plan that I can live with.
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333

    Those BIG Medical Bills
    Hi Angela,

    I am so glad that you were accepted into your hospital's charity program. I am sure it is a big relief. You have enough to worry about without having to be anxious about how to pay your bills and what non-payment might due to your credit. Congratulations on your that acceptance.

    IRENE

    Thanks Irene. To think that
    Thanks Irene. To think that I was almost too proud to apply. I was shocked when they called and said I was accepted! The woman must have thought I lost my mind...I was like, what does that mean? and she was saying ..uh that you applied for our program and now they will reduce your bills. I moment I am not too proud to forget : )
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333
    LVG said:

    Great news...
    This is really good news to hear from you ~ I was wondering if you had a chance to find help.

    @LVG that's about all I've
    @LVG that's about all I've done so far. I'm still trying to get through to the numbers the cancer center gave me and I'm still getting busy signals. I guess I may have to be happy with just getting this. The others will have to wait for their money and get it monthly.