TikTok User Shared A Way That People Can Overcome Huge Hospital Bills Using A Legal Method And 282K Are Thankful
If you’re no stranger to TikTok just like I am, you probably already know that there’s a popular trend currently going on on the app inviting people to share a piece of information they’ve learned that, for some reason, feels illegal to know. As a result, many hilarious, interesting, and even incredibly helpful videos were born.
Recently, a user named @dollarfor submitted a video following the trend that happened to gain quite a bit of attention not only on TikTok, but other social media platforms as well. In his video, the man points out that the majority of US hospitals have a Charity Care Policy that can help some people overcome huge medical bills.
More info: tiktok.com
In his video, the user explains that the majority of hospitals in the United States are non-profits
Image credits: dollarfor
As the user points out in his video, most hospitals in America are non-profits, which means that they have a Financial Assistance or a Charity Care Policy. “This is gonna sound weird, but what that means is that if you make under a certain amount of money, the hospital will legally have to forgive your medical bills,” the guy explains.
These hospitals have Financial Assistance or a Charity Care Policy that can help a person overcome their medical bills if they make under a certain amount of money
Image credits: dollarfor
Then, he proceeds to show how this whole thing works. Apparently, you have to open a search engine and type in the hospital name along with the words “financial assistance.” After that, you should visit the hospital’s website and look for the page or document explaining the Financial Assistance Policy and application. In the documents provided by the hospital, you should find all the information on what kind of financial help you can receive based on your annual income.
The guy proceeds to show how this whole thing works by going to Google and typing in the hospital name along with the words “financial assistance”
Image credits: dollarfor
When on the hospital’s webpage, he looks for the document explaining the Financial Assistance Policy
Image credits: dollarfor
According to Washington Law Help, “how much Charity Care you may get depends on your income and household size. If your household income is low enough (below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level), the hospital must cover (write off) your eligible hospital bill.”
The document contains information on how much assistance a person can receive according to their annual income
Image credits: dollarfor
“If your household income is more than 100% of the Federal Poverty Level, you may get some of your hospital bill reduced. But the hospital has a right to get information about your assets. Each hospital has its own Charity Care policy. The amount of Charity Care provided to patients with household income above 100% of the Federal Poverty Level varies,” Washington Law Help adds.
The video quickly went viral and it currently has over 1 million views and more than 282k likes
@dollarfor##stitch with @420loveontour hospital bills are lame. Let’s take care of em! ##fyp ##legal ##medicalbills ##bills♬ original sound – Dollar For
As it turned out, many people living in the US had no idea that there’s a legal way for a person to get their medical bills covered like that. One surprised user reposted the TikTok on Twitter with a caption “This could literally save a life. Save a family. My god” and in just a few days, received over 360k likes along with 179k retweets.
Here’s what people had to say after watching the video
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Yeah, but look at the stock of these FOR-PROFIT hospitals, insurance companies, and big pharma! You can't get numbers like THOSE if your country gives a sh it about people!
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Dad's only income is from Social Security. After a bad fall, he ended up in the hospital for 3 weeks with only Medicare Part A. There was little forgiveness. We had to pay for MRIs, the ambulance that took him 2 blocks, the ER - even though he was admitted, specialty drs, 2 ward stays.... he had to sell his house. He was still in debt from when his wife had died of cancer in 1993 despite working until he was 76.
I'm deeply sorry. It is so painful to read about how healthcare and college ruin people's lives, just because of a few greedy people. This is so dehumanizing.
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I was told that when you have to see a doctor, get an itemized billing statement. There are amounts (ie, those $600 syringes)that you can get removed from what I was told.
Hospitals are required to provide emergency and life saving care (look up EMTALA), regardless of ability to pay, but the bill still comes later. If you're not able to pay, uninsured, or underinsured, that's when the hospital points you to the financial assistance department. It's different when it's non-emergency, elective care. Your insurance, or lack of it, will be checked first and if insufficient you will be advised to go to financial assistance. Based on your financial situation you can apply for Medicaid, or be presented with a payment plan if not all of it is covered. It's funny when people think that hospitals hide this information on purpose. In fact they actually encourage people to sign up for "free" medical care as they get reimbursed by the government anyway
This. I recently had AVM surgery, cutting into my skull and removing a "clog" plus a couole of other necessary procedures that went before the surgery.... would have cost +$100,000 but I only had to pay around $21 ($3 per dr. appt). I was so thankful!
Exvuse typos. Also... I looked at the breakdown of the costs, and it is so true what a lot of ppl say that the hospital staff does not tell you that you are actually being charged for something. The Dr. asked me post surgery if the physical therapy came to check on my recovery progress, and I said, yeah sure. But no mention of, hey we are going to bill for that service. I get why people are upset with hospital bills.
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Wife works in a hospital. I asked her about this. She said the bills are so high because you’re not just paying for yourself but for 2-3 other people who either can’t pay or refuse to. People like this guy. So yes, it’s nice to not pay for life-saving operations. I get it. There are some unethical prices, 100% agreed. But for the most part, most people who scam the system (or flat out don’t pay) are the very reason why hospitals have to charge us middle class folks obscene amounts. Example: that large blue sterile paper blanket they use for surgeries? $400. No joke. You’re technically paying for 10 other blue blankets, including the guy who is scamming the system by treating the ER like his personal doctor’s office. So yes, it seems like a cute life-hack, but this guy is actually making it worse. ☹️
I see your point but I'm not sure I agree that he's scamming the system. The system is in place for people who, like him, don't earn much. So he's pretty much using the system for what it's designed for. If someone is paying 400 bucks for a blanket then I think the problem is with system, not the people who try to beat it
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Yeah, but look at the stock of these FOR-PROFIT hospitals, insurance companies, and big pharma! You can't get numbers like THOSE if your country gives a sh it about people!
Load More Replies... Dad's only income is from Social Security. After a bad fall, he ended up in the hospital for 3 weeks with only Medicare Part A. There was little forgiveness. We had to pay for MRIs, the ambulance that took him 2 blocks, the ER - even though he was admitted, specialty drs, 2 ward stays.... he had to sell his house. He was still in debt from when his wife had died of cancer in 1993 despite working until he was 76.
I'm deeply sorry. It is so painful to read about how healthcare and college ruin people's lives, just because of a few greedy people. This is so dehumanizing.
Load More Replies... I was told that when you have to see a doctor, get an itemized billing statement. There are amounts (ie, those $600 syringes)that you can get removed from what I was told.
Hospitals are required to provide emergency and life saving care (look up EMTALA), regardless of ability to pay, but the bill still comes later. If you're not able to pay, uninsured, or underinsured, that's when the hospital points you to the financial assistance department. It's different when it's non-emergency, elective care. Your insurance, or lack of it, will be checked first and if insufficient you will be advised to go to financial assistance. Based on your financial situation you can apply for Medicaid, or be presented with a payment plan if not all of it is covered. It's funny when people think that hospitals hide this information on purpose. In fact they actually encourage people to sign up for "free" medical care as they get reimbursed by the government anyway
This. I recently had AVM surgery, cutting into my skull and removing a "clog" plus a couole of other necessary procedures that went before the surgery.... would have cost +$100,000 but I only had to pay around $21 ($3 per dr. appt). I was so thankful!
Exvuse typos. Also... I looked at the breakdown of the costs, and it is so true what a lot of ppl say that the hospital staff does not tell you that you are actually being charged for something. The Dr. asked me post surgery if the physical therapy came to check on my recovery progress, and I said, yeah sure. But no mention of, hey we are going to bill for that service. I get why people are upset with hospital bills.
Load More Replies... Wife works in a hospital. I asked her about this. She said the bills are so high because you’re not just paying for yourself but for 2-3 other people who either can’t pay or refuse to. People like this guy. So yes, it’s nice to not pay for life-saving operations. I get it. There are some unethical prices, 100% agreed. But for the most part, most people who scam the system (or flat out don’t pay) are the very reason why hospitals have to charge us middle class folks obscene amounts. Example: that large blue sterile paper blanket they use for surgeries? $400. No joke. You’re technically paying for 10 other blue blankets, including the guy who is scamming the system by treating the ER like his personal doctor’s office. So yes, it seems like a cute life-hack, but this guy is actually making it worse. ☹️
I see your point but I'm not sure I agree that he's scamming the system. The system is in place for people who, like him, don't earn much. So he's pretty much using the system for what it's designed for. If someone is paying 400 bucks for a blanket then I think the problem is with system, not the people who try to beat it
Load More Replies...
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