If you go to the hospital's billing office, ask for an uncompensated care form. (I use to do medical billing for 4 yrs. at a local hospital so this is how I know this stuff). You will need to provide documentation verifying your ID, address, W2, etc. Based upon a sliding fee scale, you will be responsible for 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, or none of the bills incurred at the hospital. It's good for an entire year. Doctors offices have these forms as well. You just need to contact their billing offices as well.
Another helpful hint, Do NOT pay off your hospital bills with a credit card as you will be paying interest on that bill for a long time. Instead, just ask if you can set up a payment plan according to what you can afford. They do not add interest at all because they just want the money and want to work with you. Once the payment plan is set up, wait for the bill to come in the mail and then send in the payment.
If you find that you can not pay the set amt. for that month due to an emergency (ex-sudden illness, accident) call the billing office right away and tell them so the account doesn't get turned over to collection. That way it will be notated on the computer and it can be reset.
If you can not afford the set amount for a good reason (loss of job, serious illness etc.) and it needs to be reduced, again call right away so something can be worked out. You do not want to wait until the last notice otherwise it will get turned over to collections and then it's out of the billing dept.'s hands. By working with the hospital's accounting department, you avoid having to deal with collections and the extra money that sometimes gets added to the bill on their end as well as the frustration it may cause you.
Hope this helps. ~Gutless Wonderwoman
