At Smith's in St. George, Utah, the 80-year-old Gary Saling is a familiar face-altime groceries with a smile. But behind the uniform is a life story that few shoppers know.
Salen once designed a mansions of millions of dollars for Wall Street elites and served Hollywood-Royalties. Now he is still clocking in to pay $ 80,000 in medical bills after the care of his deceased wife at home until her last days.
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“There is no way I am a hero. I am not an angel, and I am certainly not a saint,” Saling told Ksby News.
Care, costs and an obligation
As an architect, Ksby reports, Salising has risen to the top after he was raised by a hard -working single mother, designing estates for the ultrawealthy and on landing Architectural Digest's prestigious annual Top 100 list.
After he had only raised two sons after a divorce, Saling says that he found unexpected love in 1991, with a red light.
“I mean, it was exactly the moment. We both raised our sunglasses,” he said.
The woman was Carol, an artist. They later discovered that they had been in the same coffee shop for years. In 2017, Carol was diagnosed with Sundown Syndrome, a form of dementia. The couple moved to South Utah to be closer to a neurologist.
“Neurology was covered by Medicare,” said Saling. “What was not covered was the promise that I would keep her home and never place her in a nursing home.”
Carol died in 2021. But Saling works five days a week, long after retirement, to pay her medical bills that he still owes.
Duana Johnson, who runs a local ministry, remarked Saling and decided to act.
“I saw Gary packing groceries and I thought:” What is this man? Why is this older man still here? “, She told Ksby News.
She launched a fundraising, opened a donation account at the State Bank of Southern Utah and founded a Venmo account. So far, around $ 2,000 has been collected.
“I try to raise enough money so that he can retire and don't have to worry anymore,” said Johnson.
Salen did not expect in the spotlight, but not regrets whatsoever.
“I made the promise to keep her home and never put her in a nursing home,” he said, “because I made vows.”
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How to manage large medical accounts
If you are confronted with overwhelming medical accounts, such as Salen, you are not the only one. Here are some strategies to help you navigate this burden.
Always ask for a specified account
Always ask for a specified account that breaks down each load by medical code. This can help find errors, such as double costs or services that are not displayed.
Platforms such as grok and open hand use artificial intelligence to analyze medical accounts and to identify potential overloads.
Negotiating the bill
Many hospitals and providers are open to negotiations. You can:
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Ask for a discount to pay the bill in advance.
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Request a discount based on your financial situation.
Request a charity or financial assistance
Non -profit hospitals are legally obliged to offer financial social assistance programs, known as charity care under the affordable care act. These programs can reduce or even eliminate your medical accounts based on income and family size.
Use of assistance programs and advocacy sources
Although the US government does not offer direct debt relief for medical accounts, there are related programs:
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Programs such as Medicare and Medicaid cover a considerable part of the medical costs for eligible persons.
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Some states, such as Utah, offer extra help for medical costs.
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211.org is a free, confidential service connects people with local sources, including medical tools.
Explore loans with low interest rates or credit options
If you cannot pay the medical accounts in advance in advance, there are other options that you can consider:
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Some financial providers offer medical credit cards with promotional 0% interest for a fixed period.
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Banks or credit associations can offer loans with lower interest rates compared to credit cards.
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There are financial institutions that specialize in medical financing.
Consider bankruptcy – as a final resort
If the medical accounts are too much to handle and you have exhausted other options, bankruptcy can be an alternative:
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Chapter 7 Bankruptcy can discharge unsecured debts, including medical accounts.
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Chapter 13 Bankruptcy ensures a repayment plan over time.
Check in with a bankruptcy lawyer to understand the implications and find out if this is the right way for you.
Finally, you want to stay organized and keep track of all communication and documents with regard to your medical accounts. And seek professional help from a financial adviser or credit advisor for personalized help.
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This article only offers information and may not be conceived as advice. It is provided without any form of warranty.
