7 min read
Finding Money and Navigating Bills
Where the help is, and how to navigate insurance and medical bills when paying for care is your biggest worry.
Paying for care is the single biggest worry most families name, and it is true even for families with good insurance. The good news is that help is real and recoverable. Families who get help navigating bills and benefits often recover meaningful amounts of money.
Start with your hospital social worker
Your social worker can connect you to financial counseling, hospital aid, and outside grant programs, and can help with referrals you cannot submit yourself.
Three places money hides
- Benefits you qualify for but have not enrolled in, such as Medicaid or other public programs.
- Billing errors. Medical bills contain mistakes more often than people expect, so it is worth reviewing them line by line.
- Charity grants. Many organizations cover specific costs like travel, lodging, meals, rent, and utilities.
Do not forget the hidden costs
Gas, parking, flights, motels, meals away from home, and lost income from a parent stepping back from work all add up. Several programs reimburse exactly these costs, so keep your receipts.
Know your rights at work
Ask your employer's HR about family and medical leave protections. A parent often needs to reduce hours or step away from work to be a caregiver, and there may be protections and options you are not aware of.
Use the resource finder to see programs by what they cover and where you live.
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