Using state health care to pay for cancer-related hospital visits?

[Massachusetts]

So I had cancer and got a bone marrow transplant..my family has been able to pay most of the way as our health insurance provider covered most things. However we weretabbed with a bill for over $5000 and can't afford to pay it. I'm vehemently against using state health care..is this an okay thing to do? I can't find it inside me to cave into the financial pressure. I don't feel as if I'm entitled to anything but if this is temporary and keeps my credit score from plummeting just because I got cancer..is it alright? Doesn't feel right but the circumstances make it seem like my only option. This sucks.

[wrestlingwes_8]

So I had cancer and got a bone marrow transplant..my family has been able to pay most of the way as our health insurance provider covered most things. However we weretabbed with a bill for over $5000 and can't afford to pay it. I'm vehemently against using state health care..is this an okay thing to do? I can't find it inside me to cave into the financial pressure. I don't feel as if I'm entitled to anything but if this is temporary and keeps my credit score from plummeting just because I got cancer..is it alright? Doesn't feel right but the circumstances make it seem like my only option. This sucks.

In the last thread you started several people gave you great links and advice on how you could help yourself the right way, NATURALLY. I do not feel sorry for anyone with cancer that complains about the costs or inconveniences associated with modern medicine. I cannot understand why people trust doctors just because they have a piece of paper saying that they can regurgitate information that was used to brainwash them for 7 years in medical school...

This may sound "harsh" to some people but I watched my mother suffer for 3 years fighting cancer with modern medicine. If I had found out about the natural remedies sooner, I am positive she would still be here today. It seems like someone in the community passes away from cancer every other week; and everyone cries and feels sad but when you try to talk to them, or people currently battling cancer, about natural cures, you might as well be speaking blasphemy. The information is looked down upon, scorned, laughed at, ridiculed, and disregarded. No one wants to hear the truth...SOUND FAMILIAR? (hint: It's who this forum is dedicated to )

[MelissaWV]

In the last thread you started several people gave you great links and advice on how you could help yourself the right way, NATURALLY. I do not feel sorry for anyone with cancer that complains about the costs or inconveniences associated with modern medicine. I cannot understand why people trust doctors just because they have a piece of paper saying that they can regurgitate information that was used to brainwash them for 7 years in medical school...

This may sound "harsh" to some people but I watched my mother suffer for 3 years fighting cancer with modern medicine. If I had found out about the natural remedies sooner, I am positive she would still be here today. It seems like someone in the community passes away from cancer every other week; and everyone cries and feels sad but when you try to talk to them, or people currently battling cancer, about natural cures, you might as well be speaking blasphemy. The information is looked down upon, scorned, laughed at, ridiculed, and disregarded. No one wants to hear the truth...SOUND FAMILIAR? (hint: It's who this forum is dedicated to )

He's not asking you to feel sorry for him, and "natural" cures are a choice. Frankly, I've seen a lot of people try things both ways, and people in both camps still wind up quite dead. I would think there's a way better place somewhere ELSE for your venom.

[wrestlingwes_8]

He's not asking you to feel sorry for him, and "natural" cures are a choice. Frankly, I've seen a lot of people try things both ways, and people in both camps still wind up quite dead. I would think there's a way better place somewhere ELSE for your venom.

Yeah, you're so compassionate and caring and I'm the bad guy for stating the truth. Yes, some people still do die from natural remedies but many times it is due to late detection or trying to go the chemo, radiation route first. The key is prevention but many people on their death beds have cured themselves using methods such as the Gerson Therapy, etc.

Go ahead and call it venom but I am merely being blunt. Thousands of people die each day because they are being deceived by modern medicine, thus I have no sympathy for someone complaining about the costs associated with it.

[MelissaWV]

Yeah, you're so compassionate and caring and I'm the bad guy for stating the truth. Yes, some people still do die from natural remedies but many times it is due to late detection or trying to go the chemo, radiation route first. The key is prevention but many people on their death beds have cured themselves using methods such as the Gerson Therapy, etc.

Go ahead and call it venom but I am merely being blunt. Thousands of people die each day because they are being deceived by modern medicine, thus I have no sympathy for someone complaining about the costs associated with it.

Try to understand this: you rode in here on your white horse to chat up the fact that it's someone's own fault that they owe money for treating their disease how they saw fit. I am under the distinct impression that, if this same poster could not afford "natural" remedies, you would not be bothered to give enough of a damn to help pay that bill, either.

There was no crying, no whining, no desire for sympathy. It is the same discussion that's been had on the forums before. I wonder what silly pleasure you get out of pointing out that they should have treated themselves another way. It's probably the same giddy glee you got from derailing the thread?

Some people's children.

[wrestlingwes_8]

I am under the distinct impression that, if this same poster could not afford "natural" remedies, you would not be bothered to give enough of a damn to help pay that bill, either.

There aren't too many people that can't afford fruit, vegetables and a juicer, expect for the homeless

I wonder what silly pleasure you get out of pointing out that they should have treated themselves another way. It's probably the same giddy glee you got from derailing the thread?

I guess you are entitled to you're own false assumptions

[Seraphim]

If you pay taxes and you can get that value back, do it. You were stolen from - if the robber offers you reprise...take it.

[Massachusetts]

This has become an issue once again. I've clashed with my mother because she thinks I need to do this taxpayer funded MassHealth and that there is no other solutions.

Maybe you guys could help me come up with some other ideas.

I don't see anything wrong at all in asking friends and family for financial assistance. In that situation it becomes a charitable donation and the money I'm using that belongs to other people is being given at their own free will and not plundered from the government.

[WilliamC]

So I had cancer and got a bone marrow transplant..my family has been able to pay most of the way as our health insurance provider covered most things. However we weretabbed with a bill for over $5000 and can't afford to pay it. I'm vehemently against using state health care..is this an okay thing to do? I can't find it inside me to cave into the financial pressure. I don't feel as if I'm entitled to anything but if this is temporary and keeps my credit score from plummeting just because I got cancer..is it alright? Doesn't feel right but the circumstances make it seem like my only option. This sucks.

I too have medical bills from my ongoing cancer treatments that I can't pay, but I also am in a situation where i have no paper assets other than the equity in the house my wife and I own. What little wealth I have managed to accumulate is already under the control of my wife, and I deliberately leave it with her despite the fact that she basically can't handle me anymore and forced me out of the house about 10 months ago. I am now on social security disability welfare as my sole income source and that can't be touched or garnished by creditors. I do have insurance through my wife's employer, but that may go away soon since my wife and I are now separated, and I have insurance through medicare, so that's more welfare.

So I simply don't pay the bills I can't afford, and I tell the creditors my situation, and that either someday I'll make them a settlement offer (you can settle old medical debt for as little as 30 cents on the dollar) or that they will eventually get a letter from my estate informing them I am deceased and the estate has no assets and they won't get paid. They already got whatever the insurance gave them so they aren't getting nothing, but they have zero legal recourse to collect on this debt from me either.

I don't know your situation, and if someone else has signed for any of this debt then they are also liable, but at least in my case I no longer worry about it because I am not capable of generating the income to pay it off and I can't be collected on.

Now I'd much rather be wealthy enough to pay my bills and still have enough to eat and live, and maybe someday I'll figure out how to do that again. But probably not.

[Acala]

You are not at fault for the unworkable health care system government and stupid voters have foisted upon us. In a free market your treatment would not have been a budget buster. Furthermore, you have paid massive taxes into the system for years. I say get some of it back. Besides, the system is broken and it isn't going to be fixed by you suffering. It will not be fixed until it totally collapses. In the meantime, you might as well get a little scrap before the bankers scoop it up.