Medical debt script kitReviewed March 7, 2026
Ask the hospital for help before you borrow from your future
If help exists, you want that money applied before you promise your own. Application first. Payment plan second.
Ask for these three things
Keep the request plain and repeatable.
- A full charity-care or financial-assistance screening before any plan discussion.
- Hardship discounts or retroactive help if full assistance does not apply.
- A pause on collections while the application is being reviewed.
Hardship and hospital help script
Start here before you say yes to any monthly payment.
Screen me for everything
"I'm in cancer treatment, and I need to be screened for every financial assistance, charity-care, hardship-discount, and retroactive program tied to this account."
Keep the account on pause
"Please keep this account out of collections while my application is pending, and tell me exactly what paperwork you need from me."
If I do not qualify in full
"If I don't qualify for full assistance, what reduced-balance or hardship option do you offer after review?"
Say it again if you need to
"Please screen me first and keep the account on pause while the application is pending."