From the Consumer Helpline

A consumer called our helpline because she needs help paying for her daughter’s medical bills. Even with insurance, the co-pays and deductibles are adding up. Her daughter is 4 years old and has cystic fibrosis; she was in the hospital, which had a $500 co-pay and the mom has to pay for her prescriptions before she can pick them up, totaling another $1,500. It is a little more difficult to find resources for people who are insured but still having trouble paying for the care they need. There were some resources for people with cystic fibrosis and others for children with chronic illnesses. Each program has a separate intake screening and application process. The mom is already applying for HUSKY so she can try to get help through the hospital for that bill. On the phone, she sounded discouraged and exhausted. In addition to taking care of a child with a chronic illness, she has to make a lot of phone calls and fill out all sorts of paperwork to try and get her daughter the medical care she needs.
Jen Ramirez