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(See Related Story about Hospitals’ Financial Woes)

(Update 7:51 a.m.: Newsday COBRA Information Under New Stimulus Plan: How Does It Work? Do You Qualify?)

The article below is packed with reliable information you can use if you should not delay a test, a hospital admission or procedure, but are unable to cover your portion of the costs all at once (if you are insured) or if you have just lost a job.

Always negotiate in advance unless an emergency prevents that. If you are in financial distress, ask to speak with a hospital’s financial counselor immediately. (If the patient has been admitted on an emergency basis, a family member will need to do this.)

New York Times

“As the economy sheds jobs and more people lose their health insurance or are forced to switch to less generous plans, doctors and hospitals are becoming accustomed to patients who are struggling financially. According to the American Hospital Association, half of their members reported an increase in the number of patients needing help with their bills. And that was in November, before the national unemployment rate hit 8.1 percent.”

Source: New York Times, March 14, 2009