I am having tests done to see if I have breast cancer. I have a lump. So, I don't have insurance and I make six dollars an hour. I pay 75 bucks a week rent. After I buy groceries and rent, I don't have leftover money. I walk to work. Im 23 years old if that matters. So all this breast cancer scare has got me thinking, what if I do have it? I have no way to pay bills. I don't have any relatives or anyone to borrow money from. I am single. If I have huge bills,do they have to let me make payments? Im scared I will end up in a homeless shelter or get sued because I can't pay for stuff. I don't even have a bank account or a car right now. Will I be homeless if I have big bills?

Basically, if you don't pay your rent, they can evict you, so hopefully they will allow you to pay the medical bills in payment chunks so you can manage them.

Hello newgirl77
Hopefully you don't have cancer, I know first hand that can be scary,but if you have no insurance to help pay for test and treatment maybe your local hospital has a plan that can
Help you or at least set up payments you can afford. I wish you the best of luck!

First I hope you don't have cancer.

So basically if you don't pay your rent, and don't make arrangementw with them, they will and can evict you.

On the medical bills, in most hospitals that receive government funding have to treat you even if you can't pay. They will bill you and if you do't pay, they will turn it over to a collection agency, ** in many cases if you have no money, no way to pay them, they will just write it off. If not, the collection agency will sue you at some point months if not years in the future.

So pay your rent, and get your medical treatment, and make sure you always pay your rent, and utilities bills first.

Thank you all for your answers. I will talk to the hospital about payment plans if it comes to that. I hope and pray that I don't have cancer. Its just so unfair how these diseases happen. I wish I could find a cure for breast cancer. Does anyone know if I get very sick, would I qualify for disability? I mean like if the cancer spread everywhere and I was dying or something. Im 23, no kids, no relatives, no other health problems, live in the US. If I have cancer would I qualify for Medicaid? Would I be able to get food stamps or anything? Im not trying to be greedy and mooch off taxpayers. I just want to know if it gets rough,are there programs to help me get over the hard spots? As far as medcal bills, as long as they will take payments then that would be OK. I want to repay any debts I make. As long as I feel healthy, I can work 2 jobs so I would be able to pay them back.

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Originally Posted by newgirl77

Thank you all for your answers. I will talk to the hospital about payment plans if it comes to that. I hope and pray that I dont have cancer. Its just so unfair how these diseases happen. I wish I could find a cure for breast cancer. Does anyone know if I get very sick, would I qualify for disability? I mean like if the cancer spread everywhere and I was dying or something. Im 23, no kids, no relatives, no other health problems, live in the US. If I have cancer would I qualify for Medicaid? Would I be able to get food stamps or anything? Im not trying to be greedy and mooch off taxpayers. I just want to know if it gets rough,are there programs to help me get over the hard spots? As far as medcal bills, as long as they will take payments then that would be ok. I want to repay any debts I make. As long as I feel healthy, I can work 2 jobs so I would be able to pay them back.

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I think first you should take a deep breath - so many of these are just a scare and hopefully that is your case.

In the meantime, nobody considers it mooching and greediness when it's medical bills. Your Doctor may have a billing person familiar with what is available to people or the Hospital definitely does. There may be no payment plan - many medical bills are written off or greatly reduced. And as far as food stamps, Medicaid, Medicare, disability - you pretty much have to wait to see what happens and then see if you qualify for any programs.

You'll be okay, really you will - fingers crossed!

Thank you! I needed the encouragement! I hope it is just a scare. I just can't believe all this happened right before chirsitmas, that sucks! Lol, but it's good to know that many people get help with their bills. Im just worried because I don't have the family support that a lot of people have. Thanks again to everyone.

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Originally Posted by newgirl77

thank you! I needed the encouragement! I hope it is just a scare. I just can't believe all this happened right before chirsitmas, that sucks! lol, but it's good to know that many people get help with their bills. Im just worried because I dont have the family support that a lot of people have. Thanks again to everyone.

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Let us know how you make out - please?

If I were you, I would write to the Prime Minister. Or President.

No civilized society has a right to put you in such difficult situation.

What is a Govt. for, if not to help people like you ?

I think a case like yours is a shame on your government.

However, it does puzzle me how come you have no relatives to help you?

Are you an orphan or something?

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Originally Posted by terryg752

If I were you, I would write to the Prime Minister. or President.

No civilized society has a right to put you in such difficult situation.

What is a Govt. for, if not to help people like you ?

I think a case like yours is a shame on your government.

However, it does puzzle me how come you have no relatives to help you?

Are you an orphan or something?

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She doesn't know if the Government will or won't help her because so far, as I understand it, she hasn't asked.

I don't know if she's an orphan but a lot of people fall into the "or something" category.

Well, I haven't applied for any government help yet, since I don't yet have a diagnosis. I know there are programs that will help with medical bills. I don't know about help with living costs. If I do find out that I have cancer, I will apply for everything. It's just scary because I have no one to go to if I face hard times. I'm an orphan who was adopted as a child. I was abused by my adoptive parents and ran away from home when I was 17. I lived with a friend till I was 18, then I got engaged to a guy and lived with him for 4 years. I broke up with him last year. I am living alone right now. So, legally, I still have parents, but they are dead to me because of the abuse. I won't go into detail but it was really bad. I don't know why they adopted a kid if all they wanted to do was hurt me.

Hun, let's not put the cart before the horse okay?

One thing I learned when I had my cancer was to take it day by day and not to borrow trouble until trouble was given to me.

I understand your concern and wanting to get all of your ducks in a row, but the worry can consume you and right now you need to keep your strength and your sanity until you get a diagnosis one way or the other.

I know, lol. I think I'm already consumed by it. I keep telling myself that what I have might not be cancer and that if it is that I can find help. It just sucks so bad waiting! :) The good thing is that I have my mammo in 4 days. So, only a couple weeks of waiting till I get my results. They'll probably biopsy it anyway just to be safe. I talked to the nurse from the clinic and she said don't worry about medical bills. She said they would help me out if I needed to apply for Medicaid. I just am having a hard time. Christmas sucks for me because I don't have family anyway, and now all t his on top of it, yuck! :) but, I will try to keep a positive view,and thanks for telling me not to worry so much. I do need to be reminded of that, as I can be a bit of a drama queen :) Thanks to all for their help.

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Originally Posted by newgirl77

I know, lol. I think I'm already consumed by it. I keep telling myself that what I have might not be cancer and that if it is that I can find help. It just sucks so bad waiting! :) The good thing is that I have my mammo in 4 days. So, only a couple weeks of waiting till I get my results. They'll probably biopsy it anyway just to be safe. I talked tothe nurse from the clinic and she said dont worry about medical bills. She said they would help me out if I needed to apply for Medicaid. I just am having a hard time. Christmas sucks for me because I dont have family anyway, and now all t his on top of it, yuck! :) but, I will try to keep a postive view,and thanks for telling me not to worry so much. I do need to be reminded of that, as I can be a bit of a drama queen :) Thanks to all for their help.

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Nothing at all to do with being a drama queen - it's hard to be sick (or possibly sick) and alone; the holidays are brutal anyway; hard to have a medical problem and have to worry about money! I don't know why the holidays are such a time of stress. My husband is not well and always lands in the hospital over the holidays -

Did the Nurse indicate that they will give you an verbal report following the mammo?

This should also serve as a reminder for people to get that annual mammo -

Continued good thoughts and fingers crossed!

Yes, she said that she would call me with the results. I am so scared that she will call and say its cancer. Well, all I can do is wait I guess. I just hope she doesn't call me at work. I gave them my work phone number. I don't think they would do that. I don't want to freak out when Im there with customers. Sorry to hear that your husband is not well. I hope he doesn't have to be in the hospital. I hope that you all have good holidays.

Hun, if it is cancer they won't tell you over the phone. Well, at least they are not supposed to. Anyway, the mammogram won't tell them definitively if it is or not, that will just tell them whether you need to have a biopsy or not.

I'm so sorry you have to go through this alone and during the holidays, but please, if nothing else, consider us your support system.