If you are in a situation where paying student loans is difficult (such as because you have medical bills) you can get a forebearance on the student loans.

Most hospitals will work with you to make payments possible. Even when mine have gone to collections as long as I kept making payments (sometimes a minimum required payment) they don't take action.

I know it's hard. I'm paying nearly 10% of my income before I pay anything else for my 2 hospitalizations and surgery from the last 2 years. Medicaid is supposed to pay some of it but I'm beginning to think it will be lost in red tape until I"ve paid the whole bill (same as after my surgery). My hospital gives a year to pay and has a way to get no-interest financing as well. And they also have financial assistance programs.

But you have to do what you have to do. If it is pay a medical bill or die the medical bill is always better. I understand the anxiety; there was a time before mental health parity that I had a $10,000 mental health deductible. That has nothing to do with my other regular health deductible or the very expensive way it covered meds. I avoided the hospital then but if it had been suicide or deductible I would have paid the deductible.

To put it another way, I have limited dental insurance. It's ok but not great because it's an indiviual policy. A few weeks ago I found out I needed $1200 of work. This means some serious financial issues and borrowing money from my mom which I HATE. But I can't say "well, that costs too much" and not do it; I'd lose my teeth. Teeth are nothing compared to life.