Donating to pay medical bills

[milimac]

We have a friend from my college days 20 years ago who recently lost his job and health insurance and then suffered a stroke. I found out from a mutual friend that he's been in the hospital for about a month now and the family has set up a bank account to accept donations. We are planning on making a contribution, but I'm sure it's just a drop in the bucket compared to his medical bills, and is most likely just a symbolic show of support.

What happens in such cases when despite donations and fundraising a person is not able to pay the bills? I would think bankruptcy is a likely possibility. Does bankruptcy wipe out the debt but also take the funds from the donation account? Is my drop in the bucket little benefit to the family if they declare bankruptcy?

[Viki63]

Many hospitals have provisions to help uninsured people with their bills. I would ask your friend's family whether they have talked to the social worker at the hospital. They should not just assume they must file for bankruptcy. Here are some other suggestions:
1
Contact the doctor's office or hospital to obtain a settlement regarding the medical bill.
2
Apply for state and county assistance. Many locations offer aid to pay medical bills based on income and number of dependents. These aid programs may not cover all medical expenses but can help ease the financial strain.
3
Set up a payment plan with the doctor's office or hospital. Though this does not provide immediate financial assistance, it can make medical bills more affordable if you cannot pay them right away.
4
Obtain a loan to consolidate your medical bills. By consolidating your medical bills into a loan payment, you can spread the payments out over time. Having several low payments can create a lesser financial hardship than one lump sum payment.
5
Ask local charities and organizations for assistance. They may be able to offer some financial assistance to reduce your medical bills based on the situation, your income and number of dependents.


This is a good example of why we need Medicare for everyone. In other countries people don't have to declare bankruptcy when they are ill, because everyone shares the burden.