Three Options to Help Reduce Your Medical Bills, Including Charity Care
- It is estimated that roughly 137 million Americans are dealing with medical bill.
- If you can't afford your doctor bill, there are options to help you cover the bill.
We are not all of the same economic class, but appropriate healthcare should be given to all — not just the rich. Know that you are not alone if you are avoiding the doctor due to finances or you are managing medical debt. It is estimated that roughly 137 million Americans are dealing with medical bill.
If you can't afford your doctor bill due to not having medical insurance or due to a significant amount of money still left to be paid after your insurance company has paid out their portion, you have options.
Option 1: Income-Driven Hardship / Charity Care
According to the Center for Healthcare Strategies, charity care allows people to access low-cost or free healthcare at for-profit and non-profit hospitals. Unfortunately, many hospitals do not inform patients that charity care is available.
In some cases, to apply for charity care, you will be required to fill out paperwork about your finances and ability to pay your medical bill. After the doctor's office or hospital reviews the paperwork, then they will decide to either reduce your bill or possibly eliminate the bill.
Option 2: 0% Interest Repayment Plan
Many medical service providers (hospitals, dentists, etc.) offer a 0% interest repayment plan. This means that the medical provider will allow you to pay the bill over a set period of time interest-free. So you may not be able to afford the $1,000 bill upfront, but you can afford to pay a small, equal amount per month until the bill has been paid off.
Option 3: Bill Reduction Through Negotiation
There is power in negotiating.
Once you have received your medical bill, contact the doctor's billing department. Their phone number should be located on the bill itself. Negotiate to pay a reduced amount if you can make the payment on the same day. Call the billing department and negotiate to make an immediate payment if you can only pay a percentage of the total bill.