Ann Margaret is a full-time employee for a small business in Chenango. Even though she’s employed, she couldn’t afford her employer’s health insurance – it was too expensive. Without any choices, she and her husband went uninsured for years.
Her medical bills began to pile high.
Unfortunately for Ann Margaret, she needed medical attention while uninsured. She was hit with a $3,667 bill. Ann Margaret tried applying for financial assistance. She was told that she needed to submit a different form for each household member, which she did. She never heard back, and the pile of unpaid bills mounted.
Her local hospital processed her financial aid forms incorrectly.
Next Ann Margaret sought coverage. She enrolled in an Essential Plan with the help of the Chenango Health Network (CHN). During her enrollment, she explained her outstanding medical bills were a source of concern. With the help of a patient advocate, she was told her local hospital, United Health Services, misinformed her. She only needed ONE financial aid application for her household and submitting multiple applications was a mistake. Starting over again, Ann Margaret filled out a new financial aid application and faxed it to the hospital. Just two weeks later, she received a letter stating that she and her family had been given 100% coverage. “It was an enormous weight off our shoulders,” said Ann Margaret.