When you’ve got a large hospital bill to pay and limited resources to pay for it, don’t be shy about asking for financial assistance from the hospital providing the care.
There are multiple possible ways you can get financial help, even if you have a job and/or health insurance.
“Hospitals provide financial assistance and they’ll base that on your household income measured against something called the federal poverty level,” said Adrienne Moore, senior vice president of strategy and growth for Banner Health in Phoenix “Even if you have a high income, you might qualify for something depending on your situation,” Moore said.
If you have a challenge affording your care, you should ask about financial assistance and understand what’s available.
The three main avenues to pursue are:
- A self-pay discount, which is essentially the cash price
- A prompt-pay discount in which your total due is knocked down a few notches if you pay in advance
- An income-based charity care forgiveness of the amount owed, or possibly a partial forgiveness
The self-pay discount can offer a price than lower than the full rate or even an insurer’s negotiated rate.
There are payment plan options usually available if you ask for them, but those are a loan, albeit possibly at a zero interest rate.
You also might qualify for your state’s Medicaid coverage, Moore said. Hospitals often have employees who can help patients navigate the application process.