By Cherie Lowe
I hate the monkey bars.
Let me explain.
Last September, on a balmy evening we were visiting friends. In a usual mix of chaos and fun, the children were playing on the swing set. The mosquitoes love to munch on both of my girls, so she was properly squirted with a natural repellent.
She thinks maybe this caused her hands to become slippery; although, we’re not sure if that was the case or not. All we knew for certain was that before we realized what had happened, she went from swinging side to side to falling hard into the mulch. Soon after that, we were on our way to the emergency room.
Little did we know, our evening would not end there. After looking at X-rays, the first hospital did not have the expertise to take care of the three breaks in her arm. We wound up driving at midnight to Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health emergency room.
After another round of X-rays, she was scheduled for a surgery to place a titanium nail in her arm to help two bones she had broken heal. Did I mention a fracture in her wrist, too?
I despise the monkey bars
Today, she had a second surgery to remove the nail and we are so thankful for wise doctors and excellent care that helped her arm properly become as close to good as new as possible. However, like any family that encounters a medical emergency, we’ve found ourselves in a swirl of bills and deadlines, payment options and insurance questions.
It’s hard enough to care for your hurting child. Sorting through confusing statements brings the stress to a whole new level.
Stop freaking out
We all respond to crisis in different ways. Unfortunately, my first reaction is one of stressing out and worrying. What are we going to do? How are we going to pay for this? How much will it cost?
Questions and emotions tumble together and causing one major freak out. I’m sure you can imagine that this response is not helpful. After my initial freak out, I usually freeze. I want to stick my head in the sand and ignore the financial side of the problem. I focus in on all of the other chores that I wouldn’t have done or even thought about before the problem reared its ugly head.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, you must move beyond your fears and begin to sort through the details. You may need your spouse, a trusted friend or a family member help you sort through the minutia. Mindlessly worrying or ignoring the bills won’t help in the long run.
Stay organized
As your statements begin to roll in, you need to keep things organized. All written correspondence should be stored in a file folder that’s clearly marked. When you speak to someone on the phone, be sure to note names, dates and specific callback numbers. Note dates and methods of payments in your records, too.
Ask questions
If you don’t understand what you owe, be sure to call and ask questions until you do. Especially if you see double charges or curious expenses, you need to be sure to inquire. More than likely you don’t work in medical billing and so the codes and terminology don’t make sense. You probably haven’t studied insurance policies, either. Be unafraid in asking questions and if someone in the call center can’t give a full answer, be sure to ask for a supervisor.
Write an appeal
You may also need to consider writing a letter of appeal to your insurance company if something seems unclear or should have been covered. We took this course of action and it saved us thousands of dollars. A simple oversight could be cleared up with an hour of your time.
Set up payments
Luckily, we had enough money set aside for medical expenses in our health savings account to cover our bills. However, if you don’t have enough money to pay for medical debt, you may want to consider one of two options. Many hospitals and doctors offer patients and families the ability to set up an interest-free payment plan. You pay a portion of the full amount each month until you’ve paid it off in its entirety.
Alternatively, you might be able to settle for less than the full amount. If you explain that you cannot pay in full immediately, but can offer cash for a portion of the bill, the provider might allow you to settle and pay a lesser sum. Some facilities don’t offer this option, but it’s worth asking especially if you’re in a state of financial hardship.
If you can settle, be sure you have the full amount that you’re prepared to offer within your access. The offer could be rescinded if you don’t follow through with your end of the bargain.
At a minimum, you may want to ask if the provider can provide a discount to reduce your costs.
The jury’s out on whether our eight-year-old will be allowed to return to the monkey bars this spring. However, the entire experience has taught us to be prepared for emergencies.
It’s not a question of if they will occur, but when. We’ve already fattened up our savings and put back a few more dollars in a rainy day fund in case we experience another medical crisis. And we’re paying more attention to the statements that come our way every day.
Falling off the monkey bars helped us realize you can’t fall asleep at the wheel when it comes to your health and your finances.
Greenwood resident Cherie Lowe and her husband paid off $127,000 in debt in four years and now live debt-free every day with their two kids. She is the author of “Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After.” Send questions, column ideas and comments to [email protected]
