I had a colon infection and needed some screenings. I’m currently unemployed, but my family and friends are offering to help cover the costs. Problem is, I don’t have the 7.7k they’re asking for right now. Any advice on what I should do next? I’m 20 and have never faced something like this before.
Try reaching out to the hospital’s billing office to see if they have plans for folks with low or no income. They might ask you to go through a few steps like applying for Medicaid and getting denied first, but it could really help reduce or even forgive the bill.
@Torin
Exactly. I’ve been in similar situations without insurance, and applying for the hospital’s financial help really made a difference. If you earn below a certain amount, they might cover part or even all of it.
@Torin
Totally agree! I used to work in admissions at a hospital, and we had plans to help people with little or no income. It involves a lot of paperwork, but non-profit hospitals sometimes cover it as a community service.
Apply for charity care at the hospital. If you don’t have any income, it shouldn’t be too hard to qualify. Just make sure you have some proof, like a recent bank statement.
Some tips for dealing with medical bills:
- First, ask if they offer charity care.
- If they don’t, request an itemized bill to check for any mistakes, like double charges. Sometimes errors can lower your bill.
- You could also try searching this forum for advice on handling medical bills.
- These links might help with itemized bills:
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has a guide too if you’re struggling with payments: CFPB link.
@Quin
This was super helpful, thanks so much.
Let the bill go to collections, then ask for an itemized bill and see if they have a HIPAA release form you signed allowing them to share your info. Often, they won’t have it and might clear the debt.
Zane said:
Let the bill go to collections, then ask for an itemized bill and see if they have a HIPAA release form you signed allowing them to share your info. Often, they won’t have it and might clear the debt.
I don’t think this is accurate advice. Hospitals are allowed to share patient info for things like billing, including sending it to collections, without needing a signed release form.
Which state are you in?
Kim said:
Which state are you in?
South Carolina.
Remember, you can set up a payment plan. You don’t have to pay it all at once.
Got a 9k bill myself, promised no deductible, Medicaid ended up covering it. Such a relief.
A friend had a $200k hospital bill. He offered to pay cash and they settled for $11k.
Why don’t you have health insurance?
Blane said:
Why don’t you have health insurance?
Insurance costs too much, and OP said they’re unemployed.
You should look for any job you can get right now.
Get an itemized bill from the hospital, that might reduce a big chunk of it 
If it’s a non-profit or denominational hospital, see if they have any financial help programs. I went to a Providence ER once and owed over $2k. I applied for their help program and got the bill covered because I was making under $2k monthly. Your hospital might have something similar.