- 1). Review your medical bills for any errors or discrepancies. If you discover any, contact the hospital billing department, point them out and request that they be struck from your obligations.
- 2). Negotiate with the hospital billing department for lower prices. Any procedure can be negotiated downwards, particularly if you will have trouble paying the bill otherwise. Ask about the hospital's charity care program if you or your family has limited means. Contact a local social worker to find out if you have any public assistance options to help pay off the bills.
- 3). Contact the hospital's financial aid department. According to the U..S Department of Health and Human Services, if your family income is below 200 percent of the Federal poverty level, you may qualify for a complete waiving of your medical bills. Most hospitals will also provide financial aid if your medical debt to income ratio is at approximately 30 percent after you have exhausted all insurance payments and public assistance options.
- 4). Ask the hospital billing department about creating a payment plan to finance the debt in a reasonable period of time. As long as the debt does not enter delinquency, the hospital is not likely to create additional charges. Creating a payment plan will also delay or prevent any lawsuits to collect on the debt.
- 5). Consider filing for personal bankruptcy if paying the medical bills will cause severe hardship. Contact a bankruptcy lawyer to determine if bankruptcy is the right choice for you. Declaring bankruptcy will wipe out all medical debts, but will severely restrict your access to credit for at least ten years.
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