Evelyn felt her heart pounding deep in her ears as she opened the white envelope. Pulling the hospital bill out, she glanced once quickly before turning away. At first she thought the total for her shoulder surgery was $6,000 and then with increasing dread she realized it was more than $60,000. The tears flowed as her mind raced.
Evelyn had been carrying a short term policy since being fired from her clerical job last year. Having failed to read the fine print of the low priced policy she did not realize the serious limitations of her coverage. The physician bills she received were in a much more manageable range, but this was too much for Evelyn to bear.
What would have immediately put Evelyn at ease was the realization that according to the American Hospital Association (AHA) more than 80% of the hospitals in the United States are not-for-profit entities. Because of this status, hospitals provide substantial financial aid to those who are unable to pay their bill because of either being uninsured or, as in Evelyn’s case, under-insured.
Applying for financial aid is typically a very simple process. The first step is to contact the Patient Accounts Department of the hospital and ask to speak with someone who handles financial aid applications. Once connected you will be asked a series of simple questions in order to determine your eligibility status (e.g., number of people in your household and your income). If you meet the standard from the screening questions the hospital will send an application to you. Be sure during this initial conversation that you ask them to stop collection activities on the account until the application process is complete. That way, you can avoid having your account sent to a collection agency.
Once you receive the application in the mail, try to work promptly so that you move through the process as quickly as possible. You will be asked some basic questions (name, address, social security number) and will likely be asked to include a copy of your most recent tax returns. If there is any information you feel will help your cause, be sure to type a short note to accompany your application. For instance, mention if your income has been reduced since your last tax return because you recently lost your job.
Typically, hospitals make bulk determinations about financial aid applications once a month and will let clients know at that time if their application has been approved. In some cases the hospital will write off the balance 100%. In other cases the hospital will offer a substantial discount based on your income level. If you are in the latter category, the hospital will work closely with you to come up with a reasonable payment plan that is interest free.
Evelyn followed all the steps as outlined above and was relieved to know that because of her income level her hospital bill was reduced to $0. Now she can now focus on these task of getting healthy.
Written by Sue De La Bruere
