I recently had some medical tests done and I can't afford to pay the bill.

[alarimer]

WITH insurance, I owe over $200. I simply do not have the money to pay this all at once. I am not sure what to do. Do you think they will allow me to pay in installments? Or should I just put it on a credit card? My salary does not meet my expenses, what with the increase in gas prices and electricity prices. I've been dipping into my savings but I need that for when I move. I am 40 years old and have only managed to save $1900 because my pay sucks. My rent also has gone up $100 a month because I have had to go month-to-month. I waiting to hear on some job interviews (I might have to move, which is why I cannot sign a new lease). In the meantime I am not sure what to do about these bills.

[realisticphish]

1. check into federal assistance

my uncle had a heart attack before the insurance at his new job went into effect. He got a grant from the gov't, and ended up paying only 2000 (considering that he owed around 35,000)

[TZ]

2. I'm sorry to hear that

You might be able to pay in installments. Medical places seem to be okay with that sometimes...My bill from Mayo was AUTOMATICALLY set up in monthly installments...But thats Mayo who are indeed increbibly easy to deal with.
I hope you get this figured out...:hug:

[lizerdbits]

3. I hope that if you arrange a payment plan

they will work with you and not demand it be paid all at once. It's worth a try to call them and work it out, this has got to happen a lot given our crappy system. If you have to pay extra for paying in installments, compare how much more it is paying them installments directly vs putting it on your credit card and paying that interest. :hug:

[alarimer]

4. Thanks.

I haven't actually received a bill from the provider. I am basing this on "What I may owe provider" on the sheet from Blue Cross. And I think I miscalculated a little because I did pay a copayment, which didn't actually show up on the thing from Blue Cross.

[Heddi]

5. I'm a nurse. Do this

1) If you got the tests done at a hospital, contact the hospital billing office and see if they have any kind of low-income program. If they do not, then explain your situation. 99.9999999999% of the time they will allow you to make payments. In fact, I've never known of a hospital to NOT take payments on a bill. They'd rather get $5 on a $200 bill than $0. Also, ask them if there is a discount if you pay in cash (often there is), or if there is a discount if you pay in full.

The hospital I worked at previously gave a 15% discount to anyone paying in cash, and another 15% discount for paying the bill in full. If you qualify for charity or reduced rate, you will most likely end up paying nothing.

2) If you didn't get it done at a hospital but an outpatient lab or MD's office, again, call and explain your situation. They will most likely take installments. Ask them, as well, if they have a program for low-income patients. Many times they will.

I wouldn't put it on the credit card until you talk to whomever it is you're going to be making payments to. They will not assess interest on the account unless you're late on a payment, and even then it will be at a much lower rate than the CC will charge just for being a general bill.

Even though I'm a nurse, and work at a hospital, for the last 2 years my husband didn't have insurance because it was too expensive for me to put him on my plan ($350 a month!). He had cut his hand and had to go to the ER for stitches. The bill was around $800, but we got a discount because

1) he had no insurance. Because of my salary, we didn't qualify for charity care, but being uninsured knocked about 15% off his bill

2) I was an employee, so they knocked 10% off because of that (even though he wasn't insured)

3) We asked about paying in cash. That knocked another 15% off the bill

4) we asked about paying in full. That knocked yet another 15% off the bill.

The only "special" discount we received, that the general public wouldn't have received, was the one knock-off because I was an employee.

And I have to say that I think my percentages are off, because for his original $800 bill we ended up only paying $135 after all the discounts.