Health care when you're uninsured?

[movie zombie]

at the least she can negotiate the amount of the bill down. there is a lot of info on line about this. the amount of $ that an individual is billed is more than if that person had insurance.

 

[Amys Bling]

Wishing your friend the best

 

[monarch64]

Haven't read all the responses yet, and I'm at work, but I just wanted to toss my .02 in the mix in case it's helpful. I broke my ankle several years ago during the window I was without insurance between graduating college and my benefits kicking in at my job (they had a 90 day waiting period). I had to do some wheeling and dealing and negotiate payments with the first hospital where I was treated, and my surgeon. My mom even made a quilt for my surgeon as partial payment towards her bill. The rest of what I owed took me a couple of years to completely pay off, but I did it, and I did not declare bankruptcy. My total bill was somewhere near $15k to begin with and I think I negotiated everything down to $7k out of pocket after all was said and done. It is possible.

 

[natascha]

Urk, I really have no advice to add just hope that your friend gets better soon and dust to her finding a job.

Honestly I get a hollow spot in my stomach when I read this type of things.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Yeah, what hospitals charge insurance and what they charge individuals are insanely different. There's definitely room for negotiation and reduction. You can also see if you can get the floor social worker to help out with potential resources. The ones at our hospital are amazing and know almost every option for any situation, but they are super busy all the time so it helps to bring cookies. .

Healthcare is tough. Nobody wants to be the cold and cruel one who says you get what you pay for, but at the same time, the funds have to come from somewhere. Believe me, docs aren't happy with the system either, most of us at least at my large institution support baseline universal coverage of some kind.

I hope your friend works it all out. The paperwork is daunting and the people can be stressful but there's a solution somewhere to be had.

 

[artdecogirl]

Circe, So sorry your friend is going through this... as others have said in my state if you get on the income based state healthcare plan they do pay back I think 90days so she should look into it as soon as she is up to it. Sending dust for fast healing.