How to Raise Money for Medical Bills

Medical bills can be daunting, particularly if you're not insured or your insurance fails to cover many items. Follow these steps to find the money you'll need to pay for an illness.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Medical Bills

1. Ask your doctor or the hospital’s social worker for referrals to agencies that help with medical bills.
2. Ask your local Department of Human Services for a list of agencies that help with medical bills.
3. Check online for lists of charities that help with bills for certain health conditions, such as cancer and Alzheimer’s.
4. Some agencies and charities will help with both old and new medical expenses.

Prescriptions and Procedures

5. Ask your doctor or the hospital’s social worker for referrals to prescription programs, samples and other ways to save on prescriptions and procedures.
6. Ask your local Department of Human Services for a list of agencies that can help with prescriptions and can provide a list of doctors who discount their services.
7. Check online for prescription programs, coupons for regular prescriptions or agencies that help with prescriptions or medical procedures.

Transportation

8. Ask your doctor or the hospital’s social worker for referrals to agencies that help with transportation needs.
9. Ask your local Department of Human Services for a list of agencies that help with transportation needs.
10. Check online for a list of agencies and charities that help with transportation for medical treatments. Some will even help with airfare for treatments in other states, if that is the only location that the treatment can be performed.
11. Check with your local Traveler’s Aid. They will occasionally help with expenses for your car or bus fare if there is a valid purpose. Or they may know of another agency that can help.

Living Expenses and Housing

12. Ask your doctor or the hospital’s social worker for referrals to agencies that help with living expenses and housing issues.
13. Ask your local Department of Human Services for a list of agencies that help with living expenses and housing issues.
14. Check online for lists of charities that help with living expenses and housing while undergoing medical care.
15. Some agencies and charities, such as St. Jude’s and The Ronald McDonald House, have rooms available to patients and their families while undergoing treatment. Check with these programs for more information.

Raising Money for Other Expenses

16. Ask friends and family to help come up with ideas for raising money. They also may be willing to contribute and fundraise.
17. Ask work, church and school contacts to help.
18. Have your children and/or helpers create crafts to sell.
19. Have a fundraising sale, luncheon or other activity. Research fundraising activities and companies to find what is right for you.

Tips & Warnings

• Always check the accuracy of what you are told and check with the Better Business Bureau if something seems fishy.