Paying the Bills

TrickiWoo · 02-25-2006, 05:53 PM

I got bombarded with hospital bills today. Our insurance doesn't cover infertility and now we have to cough it up.
How do some of you handle paying the bills when it's too much to pay at once? How do you prioritize? I'm just going to try to pay 2 a month till they're gone. Any tips?

SmilingHelps · 02-26-2006, 10:08 AM

Two things...

My mother worked with billing for a hospital and she tells me that as long as you pay SOMETHING to each of your bills, the hospital cannot complain (although they can try). even if it is only $10 each time, legally, they cannot do anything about it. I don't know how true that is, but the law is the law and they can't squeeze blood from a turnip...

Also, there is a finance group called RESOLVE. they give loans to couples going through infertility to help finance the costs. Although you are pregnant (CONGRATS!!!!), I'm sure that they could probably help you out by giving you a loan to pay them all off and then you would only owe one main bill.

Please forgive me if I've said anything in ignorance. My husband is the finance man in our marriage and our insurance covered all of our treatments (thank god or we couldn't have done it). However, an extremely close friend of mine has been going through infertility treatments for 15 years and she has all kinds of little tidbits on financing it...

Wishing you the best

Jen

jan21 · 02-26-2006, 06:28 PM

I would call the billing department and try to work out a plan with them.

There may be a finance/loan group, but it is not RESOLVE - I am active in that organization. It's an advocacy/support organization. You may be able to ask someone at the headquarters if they know of any loan programs though - it's resolve.org.

Don't forget to keep track of ALL your medical bills for the year, including mileage to/from doctor's offices, meds, lab fees etc. If it's more than 6% of your adjected gross income (AGI) - which it probably will be - you can deduct it from your taxes. Between paying for 2 IVFs and the birth of the babies within the same year, we got a $6,000 deduction.

Good luck!

Janice
Laura & Elizabeth 11/29/00

SmilingHelps · 02-27-2006, 06:43 AM

Hey Tricki!

I'm sorry that I have you crappy information. Thanks to Jan for clearing it up.

Wishing you the best

Jen

TrickiWoo · 02-28-2006, 05:05 AM

Thanks you guys! I think I'm going to call the hospital and see what I can work out. It's not really enough to have to take a loan out, but enough that I can't pay it all at once.

02-25-2006, 05:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
TrickiWoo 1000-4999 post queen of hearts Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: CO Posts: 2,679	Paying the Bills I got bombarded with hospital bills today. Our insurance doesn't cover infertility and now we have to cough it up. How do some of you handle paying the bills when it's too much to pay at once? How do you prioritize? I'm just going to try to pay 2 a month till they're gone. Any tips?

02-26-2006, 10:08 AM	#2 (permalink)
SmilingHelps 5000-9999 post king of hearts Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Midwest Posts: 7,483	Two things... My mother worked with billing for a hospital and she tells me that as long as you pay SOMETHING to each of your bills, the hospital cannot complain (although they can try). even if it is only $10 each time, legally, they cannot do anything about it. I don't know how true that is, but the law is the law and they can't squeeze blood from a turnip... Also, there is a finance group called RESOLVE. they give loans to couples going through infertility to help finance the costs. Although you are pregnant (CONGRATS!!!!), I'm sure that they could probably help you out by giving you a loan to pay them all off and then you would only owe one main bill. Please forgive me if I've said anything in ignorance. My husband is the finance man in our marriage and our insurance covered all of our treatments (thank god or we couldn't have done it). However, an extremely close friend of mine has been going through infertility treatments for 15 years and she has all kinds of little tidbits on financing it... Wishing you the best Jen __________________ Courage is not freedom from Fear. It is being afraid and continuing on. www.photobucket.com/jenniferandmia

02-27-2006, 06:43 AM	#4 (permalink)
SmilingHelps 5000-9999 post king of hearts Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Midwest Posts: 7,483	Hey Tricki! I'm sorry that I have you crappy information. Thanks to Jan for clearing it up. Wishing you the best Jen __________________ Courage is not freedom from Fear. It is being afraid and continuing on. www.photobucket.com/jenniferandmia

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02-26-2006, 06:28 PM	#3 (permalink)
jan21 5000-9999 post king of hearts Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 6,231	I would call the billing department and try to work out a plan with them. There may be a finance/loan group, but it is not RESOLVE - I am active in that organization. It's an advocacy/support organization. You may be able to ask someone at the headquarters if they know of any loan programs though - it's resolve.org. Don't forget to keep track of ALL your medical bills for the year, including mileage to/from doctor's offices, meds, lab fees etc. If it's more than 6% of your adjected gross income (AGI) - which it probably will be - you can deduct it from your taxes. Between paying for 2 IVFs and the birth of the babies within the same year, we got a $6,000 deduction. Good luck! Janice Laura & Elizabeth 11/29/00

02-28-2006, 05:05 AM	#5 (permalink)
TrickiWoo 1000-4999 post queen of hearts Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: CO Posts: 2,679	Thanks you guys! I think I'm going to call the hospital and see what I can work out. It's not really enough to have to take a loan out, but enough that I can't pay it all at once.