Relief when the unexpected happens
If someone had told Carol Leeder less than a year ago that she and her husband would soon both be out of work – him due to medical reasons and her due to an unexpected layoff, she would have told them they were crazy.
But in the midst of an unprecedented economic downturn the Leeders, like many, found themselves out of work and unable to pay mounting medical costs.
“My husband had just had a knee replacement and was in the hospital and in the midst of all of that, I got laid off from my job,” recalled Carol. Her unemployment checks and Randall’s disability checks were their only source of income.
Stressed over her husband’s increasing medical bills, Carol called Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare – Elmbrook Memorial in hopes of setting up some kind of payment arrangement. “I just couldn’t pay the bills and I had no idea when I might be called back to work,” she said.
Much to her surprise, Carol was referred to a financial counselor at the hospital who told her about the hospital’s Community Care program, which provides medically necessary care for individuals and families who demonstrate financial need but do not qualify for government assistance. It wasn’t long before the application was filed and the Leeders were approved.
“They took care of all of the hospital expenses. That was such a relief,” Carol said. “I really had no idea how we were going to pay them.”