I am sorry that your friend has been in business for 20 years and wasn't responsible enough to get some kind of health insurance, but that doesn't make it the responsibility of her friends. Her doctor and hospital will have options for her to consider.

This is a subject on which I tend to be judgy. Since I left the corporate world in '98, my top two budget priorities have been the mortgage and health insurance. I knew I had to have health insurance, because I am not a lucky person. Yes, it was a big part of my budget. I know there are a lot of people out there who really can't afford the premiums and people who are uninsurable who decide to take the risk of leaving a corporate job. I also see a lot of freelancers who could have afforded health insurance but their priorities were elsewhere. I don't know her whole story, but it sounds like she chose a life she enjoyed, but now feels entitled to have other people pay for it.

I'll admit I've had fantasies about coming up with some kind of clever "Help Ginger pay her ridiculous deductible and make the credit card people go away" website, but I can't imagine asking my friends. Hell, it almost killed me to ask my mother.

Scrappy, has she looked into what kinds of state funds there might be? I know in California women without other insurance can get their cancer treatments covered through a Medical program specifically for breast/ovarian/cervical/etc cancer. My MiL used that and she got top of the line treatment. As Laura notes, she should ask her doctor or maybe the hospital social worker for coverage options.

If the hospital she'll be going to is non profit there will be a lot of options to help. I know the major hospital here gives an automatic 30% discount to uninsured patients, they set up payment plans, and have other options as well depending on the financial situation of the patient.

I know I don't have to say this to you guys, but the US healthcare system baffles and scares me.

Us, too, Sue.

Sometimes I really loathe the feast or famine nature of my job. Someone tell me I'm going to figure out a way to meet all of my deadlines.

Thanks, you guys. I want to be a good friend, but the whole thing just feels wrong to me.

Yeah, I have tons of friends who throw fundraising parties or ask for money for mastectomies and hysterectomies, for trans reasons. But nobody asks $1000, and they tend to have already tried their insurance or whatever. I'd definitely consider helping her (meals and visits after? A little bit of cash now?) but mostly encourage her to look up help like others said.

This is why I want universal healthcare damnit.

Someone tell me I'm going to figure out a way to meet all of my deadlines.

You will. Me, my deadlines are ridiculous and I'm lazy and hate my job. If I can do it, you can!

Ugh. Must find better way to pack. Thought I had a brilliant plan, didn't work. Mostly because gym shoes are too freakin big. They take up like, half my suitcase!! And then in the "crap it won't fit" panic, I ended up with only a backpack and no work appropriate purse/laptop holder. Not the end of the world, but annoying.