[raspberrytorte]

I've got some serious debt going on, and it just keeps on adding up because of pdoc appointments. Inpatient end of january. Entire experience is currently pushing four grand. We can't even afford to make small monthly payments (funds a little tight currently). It's all just going to have to go to collections.

What makes me a little frustrated about this whole ordeal is that it was INVOLUNTARY. And I kept on telling the ambulance people and the police that the hospital they were taking me to was out of network, but no one would listen to me, and the police were just like, oh, the county will pay for it.

The county is not paying for it, and my insurance only covered little over half!

UGH! Just frustrated here.

That bill can just sit and rot in collections for all I care.

And more bills are mounting, with doctor appointments (200 each). I'm trying not to freak out but it's hard.

I don't know if anyone else has been in a similar situation? What did you do?

[raspberrytorte]

I mean, I was stuck in the hospital for five days. They wouldn't let me leave!

[Angelique67]

I was involuntary for a week in 2010. The hospital was a municipal hospital so they'd let you pay like $10/month. Luckily, it did get paid by the state because I'm on SSD. Sorry you're dealing with this.

[raspberrytorte]

I'm so frustrated I want to say screw it, get off all my meds, and just stop seeing anyone in general because obviously we can't afford me being sick.

I know. Boo hoo.

[pinkflower17]

Originally Posted by raspberrytorte

I've got some serious debt going on, and it just keeps on adding up because of pdoc appointments. Inpatient end of january. Entire experience is currently pushing four grand. We can't even afford to make small monthly payments (funds a little tight currently). It's all just going to have to go to collections.

What makes me a little frustrated about this whole ordeal is that it was INVOLUNTARY. And I kept on telling the ambulance people and the police that the hospital they were taking me to was out of network, but no one would listen to me, and the police were just like, oh, the county will pay for it.

The county is not paying for it, and my insurance only covered little over half!

UGH! Just frustrated here.

That bill can just sit and rot in collections for all I care.

And more bills are mounting, with doctor appointments (200 each). I'm trying not to freak out but it's hard.

I don't know if anyone else has been in a similar situation? What did you do?

Most hospitals will let you pay almost any amount every month as long as you continue to pay every month, even if it's only five dollars a month, you just have to be making a "good faith" effort. You may also qualify for charity care or other discounts due to your income via the hospital you were at. Check out the requirements. Make an appt with a financial counselor. For an amount that small, they may even waive a portion of it, again, depending on your income.
I can emphasize. I owe approx. 175,000.00$ in co-pays and deductibles alone (I have great insurance and it was in network) after spending over 6 months in the hospital and several surgeries and other procedures. I'm filling bankruptcy b/c I have no other choice, which will actually improve my credit score, but I think you still have plenty of options left. Good luck, I hope they're willing to work with you.

[Seeker101]

Raspberry, I know your pain. I still owe my surgeon from 4 years ago about $2,000, the MRI facility $500, and my former PCP $200. From 2 years ago, I still owe the retinal eye specialist $550. It's very hard to pay anything back when 4 years ago I only grossed a little over $15,000 for the year, and I had a $300 monthly health insurance premium to boot! The following years, I didn't even gross $19,000, and my premium went up to $360. Then, as luck would have it, I was fired from my job in July 2014. Thank heaven for obamacare. A $25 monthly premium is a heck of a lot better than the $385 it went to before I dropped it.

I thank heaven that since I have no job and no income, my mental healthcare is being supplied to me for free. I'm applying for food stamps and Medicaid this week, as well.

It's very humbling to ask for public assistance. There are days I feel so ashamed. I never in a million years imagined I would be here. But I am, and as my T says, this too shall pass.

I digress. I intended to just let you know I understand exactly where you're coming from. Different situation, but still seriously huge debt.

[Raindropvampire]

Most hospitals will write off bills you can't afford. It won't do anything for the doctor's portion which sucks. I'm in Indiana and every time I couldn't afford a bill I called and asked about what programs they offered to help. Also you might want to check with church groups and things like that. Hubby has been held before and a church group paid his bill.

There's also always bankruptcy OR dodging the bill until it gets time barred. Good luck to you.

[HALLIEBETH87]

Im over $1,000 in debt for psych stuff right now. (Ambulances are expensive!) I haven't been good at remembering to send money every month. Im just plain forgetful. They don't send monthly bills so I forget. Im doing better now though. I send them at least $10 but they still call me every single day-even weekends and from morning til night. Everyday I get a call.

[Fresia]

This is correct as Pinkflower 17 indicates. After working in medical billing, as long as you pay something, you are showing good faith, it cannot go to collections, or harm your credit. Would recommend you contact them to set up a smaller payment. Hang in there.

Originally Posted by pinkflower17

Most hospitals will let you pay almost any amount every month as long as you continue to pay every month, even if it's only five dollars a month, you just have to be making a "good faith" effort. You may also qualify for charity care or other discounts due to your income via the hospital you were at. Check out the requirements. Make an appt with a financial counselor. For an amount that small, they may even waive a portion of it, again, depending on your income.
.

[eskielover]

LIke you, we couldn't even afford a small payment.....so many of the hospital bills & MD bills just went to collection. House was upside down in value & we were both on disability so there was nothing they could come after.

Last hospital stay was after I went through a trauma & I was in no condition to deal with the hospital & I hadn't had anything to do with our finances for a long time & had no idea where the information was that the hospital wanted.....I told my H to take care of it & they told him that he couldn't....they didn't bother to tell him that I could have signed a waiver to allow him to deal with it or maybe they told him & he didn't bother to understand what they said.....but he DID NOTHING like normal.....so NOTHING was done....& at that point....I really didn't care.

Since left him after 33 years of grief & now I have total knowledge & control of everything financial in my life. I fractured my back a few years ago & everything with that got paid off at $5/month.....had to laugh, one place that medicare wouldn't cover was taking my $5 payment then sent it to collection....I got all over their case for doing it.....I never got another bill from them. Had another MD that I had an issue with a charge about & I refused to pay it.....it went to collection, the MD left their practice & the bills stopped coming.....you never know what might happen but mostly, I make sure that I pay everything now even though it has to be at a very low monthly rate. I had another issue with one MD.....& refused to pay any more on the bill then they got at the time I went in.....they weren't able to treat me anyway, so they couldn't withhold treatment until I paid....keep getting a bill for that but they have never sent it to collection....that's been 1 1/2 years ago.

When I first got sick with the depression, the medical insurance I had wouldn't pay for the local hospital near my home (their psych ward), they always forced me to ride in an ambulance to the hospital that they approved which was about 100 miles away.....talk about a rip off with the ambulance company....I fought it, but they refused to approve my local hospital.....I refused to pay for the ambulance charges because it was forced....let those go to collection & ended up dropped over the years

I understand the frustration but I got to the point where I felt I didn't have the money & they couldn't get blood out of a turnip....& I was definitely a turnip by that point....their problem..with cell phones, there is caller ID & blocking of phone numbers.....so that's how one can deal with collection agencies now.

[raspberrytorte]

Since posting this I have good news!

I got a $850 check from the insurance company yesterday to pay for the ambulance ride to the hospital, so at least that's one bill that I won't have to worry about now.

(I don't know why they couldn't just pay the ambulance people directly... But who cares. Money now to pay it!)