Financial assistance leads to blue skies ahead

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Removing barriers to care | Affordable care in Everett

Getting ready to start a family, Ali and her husband Nate have worked hard to be financially ready, and the only debt they have is the mortgage on their home in Spokane, Wash.

Life didn’t seem so hopeful in the recent past. Prior to her marriage, a slip-on some ice, a shattered ankle, and two surgeries threatened to fill Ali’s future with medical debt. Fresh out of college with student loans and an entry-level job, Ali couldn’t envision how she would pay the thousands of dollars in uncovered costs for her care.

“It was really scary – I was already living paycheck to paycheck, with no savings,” Ali said. “The bills would have affected me for the rest of my life, either through medical bankruptcy or having to take on a different, more costly payment plan for my student loans.”

Ali found the help she needed at Providence, through the surgeries at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and with financial assistance for the costs not covered by her health insurance.

Ali says she was hugely relieved when she learned that she qualified for patient financial assistance after one phone call and an online application to Providence. Today, she’s been able to pay off her student loans, get married in a strong financial position, and start planning for a family.

“Providence gave me absolute peace of mind during one of the hardest times in my life that I've experienced, and I am immensely grateful,” she says. “My life would look very different today if I hadn't received that financial assistance.” At age 28, Ali sees blue skies ahead.

In 2021, Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center provided financial assistance to 5,995 patients in need.

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