Last week a bookseller who needs surgery to remove a rapidly growing cancerous tumor got in touch with us at Binc. They told us how a similar cancer took the lives of several family members. I can only imagine the level of stress and worry this bookseller is living and working through every day. This bookseller (like many who contact Binc) has health insurance coverage. But their insurance has a high deductible. By working two part-time jobs in addition to their bookstore job, this bookseller affords and pays all their monthly household expenses. What they couldn’t afford was an unexpected and urgent $8,000 medical bill.
Since they have health insurance, no charity care was available through their provider. Both the hospital and doctor required a 50% deposit before they would even schedule the surgery. The payment plan required by the provider is more than the bookseller can pay on a monthly basis, and missing one payment will quickly lead to snowballing late fees and high-interest rates.
With your help and our generous and caring supporters, this bookseller scheduled the life-saving medical care they need. With Binc covering the down payments for the surgery and enough of the remaining bills to produce a manageable monthly payment, this bookseller will now be able to focus on healing and move on with their life, a life that doesn’t include a crippling and highly stressful financial burden – or even worse – having to delay or even forgoing their surgery.
Too often people in our community are forced to delay or refrain from healthcare because even though they have insurance, the cost of procedures and medicines outstrips their income and coverage. Thanks to you though, this very week, a bookseller scheduled their life-saving surgery. And also thanks to you, all booksellers have a place to turn if they find themselves facing such a terrible situation.