20,000.00 dollar medical bill

[melissalanette]

Well, I just received a medical bill for 20,000.00 dollars. I am in SHOCK. It starts in 2008 when I was in a BAD Crohn's flare, and the most recent item on it was my surgery in May 2010. I don't know what to do. I don't have insurance right now and there is NO WAY I can even make monthly payments that will dent it. I don't know what to do. I feel helpless, hopeless, and to top it off, everything I have (Crohn's, Endo, IC) is flaring. I am having a panic attack. I need somebody to tellme it will be okay, because right now, it doesn't feel okay.

[ICNDonna]

The best suggestion I have is to contact your medical providers and let them know your situation. Most will either work with you or cancel the debts.

Warm hugs,
Donna

[kadi]

Hi Melissa,
I'm so sorry you're going through this. Donna gave you a good suggestion already & I just want to second it. A friend of mine ended up with a $300,000 bill from an eating disorders unit (she was very very ill with anorexia & nearly died several times). As an elementary private school teacher who barely made enough to live on, there was no way she could pay it back. She sent the hospital her pay stubs & a $50 a month check, which was all she could do. They cancelled her debt about six months into her payments.

I also found when I had tons of medical bills coming in the mail that it was best for me to designate only one day a week to open them. I only opened medical correspondence on Monday evenings, so that I could think about it overnight & decide what to do, then make whatever calls were necessary on Tuesdays. It had reached a point that I was upset every time I went to the mailbox & the worst bills & letters would always arrive on Friday afternoon, so I'd be upset all weekend & then put on hold forever on Mondays because of all the other people calling in then too.

Hang in there, you're certainly not alone in this,

[kuntrygurl78]

I would call the place where the bill came from. My husband and I have insurance. He had surgery last year. We applied for financial assistance and they took care of 80% of the bill. It was long form to fill out, but it was worth it. Good luck!:smile tee

[curlycue]

I am so sorry that you have to go through this. I will keep you in my prayers. I had a wise woman once tell me "Ruth you have to take charge of your own health and that mean you have to fight for your own medical care and if you have to fight the medical system then do so" get on the phone and tell them you dont have the money and you need to make some kind of payment arragment.

[dg2901]

The worst thing you could do is ignore it. Call the billing dept of the provider and explain your situation. They will be more than willing to work out a solution, be it a payment plan or assisting with lowering the debt. If you fail to attempt to settle it you will continue to be billed and it will go into collections and onto your credit report.

[mary124]

I have insurance and it pays 80% but even the 20% that is left for me to handle sometimes it gets to be too much. Like other have said, do not ignore it, call them and tell them your situation and see if you can make monthly payments that will fit your budget.

[curlycue]

Yea being sick sure does cost alot.I feel sometimes feel like I am allready not feeling well and on top of that we have to deal with Insurance situations all the time? I feel like I am in a constant fight with my Insuracne. God Bless us all.

[LithEruiel]

I'm so sorry you have to go through this! I also don't have insurance and it's very scary. The largest bill I've gotten was $650 for just one OFFICE visit at my doctor's office when they made a mistake and charged me the "insurance" price, not the self-pay price (even though I had already paid the self-pay price). When I called the billing office they were VERY rude and didn't believe me that all I was supposed to be charged was what I already paid (the dr. herself said to pay the lower amount). My IC flared up like crazy because of the ridiculous bill and because I felt like I was being treated like a lower class citizen because I don't have insurance. I ended up e-mailing the doctor (I was lucky enough to be able to e-mail her through the hospital system where I work) and she straightened it out. So I guess what I'm saying is if calling the billing office doesn't work, try to find a way to go above them. Find out if the hospital has a charity care program (most do)...keep trying until you find a solution because it's not right that someone should have to pay that much for necessary medical care. Good luck, let us know how it goes!!

[CheshireKat]

Thats awful D: That is ridiculous you have to pay that much. Doesn't your insurance cover anymore :/ I suppose its harder for adults though (I'm only 17 so my parents take care of the bills and what not) I'm sorry you have to deal with that though, its so stupid.

Like everyone else is saying, I bet you could research and find some people that are willing to help you pay some of it off somehow. Good luck though :3

[bob04951]

Went through this as well, had zero insurance and were perfectly healthy 52 year olds and hub decided he wanted to end his life. Thankfully, he did not succeed, but the bills amounted to over $100K. We worked at it and everyone took pity, TYG. We would have lost our home and everything we had. Most hospitals will work with you, they really can't do anything as long as you make an attempt to pay, even if it's $5 a week. If you have Medicare, the copays can be written off by the hospital/doctor, you just have to have adequate and true proof of inability to pay, and they are required to ask you for the money at least 3 times. Do not ignore their requests, because it will go to collection. It is better to prove your case and they take a loss for it as well. No one wants to see health care scams, because it hurts all of us who truly need the medical and financial help. Do they really want your house? Probably not. Good luck to all who are struggling with this, but there are actually compassionate people out there who will help you.

[DebbieT]

I haven't experienced large medical bills so far but I do know a few friends that have. Usually the best thing to do is to talk to the hospital or the company that has sent you the bill and work with them. They are usually helpful and willing to work with you as it's a common occurrence that they experience from many patients.

[smashley]

It's so sad that something so much out of our control can ruin our lives like this. It's just so scary and i'm hoping our healthcare will better itself within the next few years. I am 24 and still on my dad's insurance, my job offers insurance but my fear is that if i keep getting as many flares as i have been, if i will even be able to work in the future which is extra extra scary! All we can do is support eachother!