If you needed to have medical treatment in a hospital, then you may be faced with a substantial bill. Even if you have a good health insurance, it is possible that they don’t cover the bill in full. Indeed, this is how many people end up in significant debt. If that has happened to you, you should not automatically look at selling your possessions or taking out a loan to pay for your medical bill. Rather, you should consider writing to the hospital to ask for some leniency.
Guidelines for Writing a Hardship Letter to Hospital
Your letter should be written formally. This means that you address it to the right department and preferably to the actual person who will be dealing with your case. The letter should also be dated, and it should be free from grammatical and spelling errors. You should also make sure that it includes your account or hospital number, and other identifying information about yourself.
Starting the Letter
Start your letter by explaining what you are asking for. This may be debt forgiveness, restructuring, or consolidation. Go on to explain which medical facility you attended, which procedure or treatment you received, and why it was necessary. State that your insurance company agreed to cover a certain amount of that bill (indicate how much), leaving a certain balance. Again, indicate how much. If you did not have insurance at all at the time, make sure to indicate that as well.
Content of the Hardship Letter
You should then offer your suggestion. If you wish to have the debt forgiven in full, explain why you feel this to be necessary. Most of the time, however, you will ask for some sort of payment plan to be considered instead. Hence, offer a certain amount each month, stating when and how you will pay this. Make sure that you can actually afford this amount, as you should never make promises that you can’t keep.
It is likely that you had already been paying a certain amount, but you now find yourself in a situation in which you can no longer afford this. If that is the case, you must indicate what hardship you are currently experiencing. It is important to be factual here. The hospital is not interested in a sob story or in an emotional account. Rather, they want to know why the payment for the bill will not be received at the specified date.
You must offer evidence for everything that you state. Hence, include copies of your medical bills and your previous agreement. Include statements of the payments that you have already made, and provide documented evidence of your current income and expenses, such as a financial statement. Demonstrate what changes you have already made to increase your income or decrease your expenses and why this has not been enough to make the situation better.
Most of the time, hospitals have programs in place for people in your situation. If you know what these programs are, apply for them using the relevant forms if there are any. If not, ask whether you could apply under any of their hardship programs.
Hardship Letter To Hospital Example
{Your Name}
{Your Address}
{Your Phone Number}
{Hospital Name}
{Address}
{Phone Number}
ATTN: {contact person}
{Date}
RE: {consolidation/restructuring/forgiveness} of debt on medical bills for {Name}, account {number}
To Whom It May Concern:
My name is {Name}, and I was a patient at {hospital name} on {date}, where I received{a specific procedure, treatment, etc.}. My insurance covered {amount in dollars}, which left a balance of{amount in dollars} for me to deal with myself. { Or note that you did not have insurance at the time of this incident}.
I worked out a payment plan of {amount in dollars} per month, which I have been paying since {date}. However, due to {death in the family, loss of a job, other medical problems, etc.; be specific and emotional}, I am struggling greatly with making ends meet every month.
I have attached {relevant financial documents} to this letter, so that you can see that my monthly income is only {amount in dollars}, all of which must go to {mortgage, rent, other payments}, leaving very little left for the amount I owe you.
I am now only able to pay {amount in dollars} every month {or indicate that you would like to have your debt forgiven due to this hardship}. I know that the hospital has programs in place for situations like mine, and I hope that we can work out a plan that will satisfy both of us.
Please contact me as soon as possible so that we can begin this process.
Sincerely,
{Sender Name}