On September 23, the Granted team joined the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation (CCF) for its monthly CC Mentor and Advocate training. CCF mentors are volunteers who support people with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare cancer of the bile ducts, and their caregivers. This recap is for mentors, caregivers and anyone else looking for help with cancer medical bills.
Cindy Thomas, CCF's Volunteer Coordinator, opened the session by noting how fast financial hurdles can pile up after a diagnosis. Laetitia Gazay, Granted's Chief of Staff, and Victoria Lopez, one of our health advocates, led the presentation. Mentors spent much of the hour asking questions drawn from their own experience helping families.
About the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation
The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation was founded in 2006. It is a global nonprofit working to find a cure for cholangiocarcinoma and improve quality of life for the people living with it. Alongside funding research through an annual fellowship program, CCF runs support programs for patients and families:
CholangioConnect matches patients, survivors and caregivers with a mentor who has been through cholangiocarcinoma. CCF matches people on shared details such as age, location and treatment history.
The Newly Connected program sends a free care kit to people who were recently diagnosed and connects them with the CCF community.
Virtual support groups and local CARE Teams give patients and caregivers a regular place to meet others going through the same thing.
CCF's clinical trials database and specialist locator help families find treatment options and doctors who know this cancer.
Webinars, regional symposia and an annual conference keep patients, caregivers and clinicians up to date on research and care.
CCF's Resource Hub collects its educational materials in one place. Cindy told us medical bills are a new area CCF wants its mentors to be able to help with, which is why we were there.
Check the bill before you pay it
Most medical bills have errors. Two common ones are duplicate line items and charges for services the person never received. A long itemized bill is hard to read on a good day and harder in the middle of cancer treatment. Ask the provider for the itemized version and go through it before paying anything. Our guide on how to request an itemized hospital bill covers what to ask for, and EOB vs. medical bill shows how to check a bill against your insurance statement.
Hospital financial assistance reaches more people than you'd expect
Nonprofit hospitals have to offer income-based discounts, which they usually call financial assistance or charity care. Plenty of people assume their income is too high and never apply. The income limits are often higher than people think.
Victoria shared two things from her own cases:
She has seen hospitals deny a first application over missing paperwork and then approve it once the paperwork was complete.
She has gotten refunds for people who applied after they had already paid the bill.
Some programs also cover future care with the same health system for a set period after approval. For someone in ongoing cancer treatment, that coverage can be worth more than the original bill.
You can negotiate medical bills that are already in collections
Mentors asked about bills a provider has already handed to a collection agency. You can still negotiate those, and a collection agency will sometimes accept less than the original provider would. To keep a bill out of collections in the first place:
Ask the provider to put the bill on hold while you review it.
Keep making regular payments, even small ones, while you negotiate.
Look at your insurance before you negotiate
If someone is close to their deductible or out-of-pocket maximum, paying the full bill can unlock more coverage for the rest of the year. Cancer treatment often means many bills in one year, so this matters more than usual. Before negotiating, put the bill next to the person's insurance details and see which path saves them more.
One family's story
Laetitia shared the story of a parent who came to Granted with $4,257 in cancer screening bills for their child and past-due notices already arriving. Their health advocate confirmed the hospital had a financial assistance program and got the account put on hold so it stayed out of collections. The hospital denied the first application. The advocate followed up, gathered the missing documents and resubmitted, and the hospital approved the family for 100% assistance. That covered the $4,257 and the family's bills with that health system for the next 12 months.
How Granted helps with cancer medical bills
Granted is your digital health advocate. Upload a bill or connect your insurance, and our human health advocates look for ways to lower what you owe and handle the calls with providers. It's free to start, and you only pay if we lower your bill. Check your bill
Frequently asked questions
Can you get financial assistance for a hospital bill you already paid?
In some cases, yes. Some hospitals will review an application for a bill that's already been paid and issue a refund if the person qualifies.
Can you negotiate a medical bill that's in collections?
Yes. You can negotiate with the collection agency directly, and agencies are sometimes more flexible than the original provider.
Is my income too high for hospital financial assistance?
Often not. Many nonprofit hospitals set income limits higher than people expect, so it's worth applying even if you think you won't qualify.
Where can people with cholangiocarcinoma find support?
The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation offers one-on-one mentoring through CholangioConnect, virtual support groups, a clinical trials database and a Resource Hub at cholangiocarcinoma.org.
If you're helping someone with a medical bill
Thank you to Cindy and the CCF team for inviting us, and to the mentors who support people through the hardest parts of care. If you're helping someone with a bill, upload it and a health advocate will take a look. Free to start. You only pay if we lower your bill.