Debby Smith knew she was taking a chance going without insurance. When Smith completed a temporary job at Cornell, she was eligible to buy into Cornell's insurance through COBRA, as long as she paid the full premium for herself and her husband $800 a month. ADVERTISEMENT I was unemployed. Unemployment insurance wasn't enough to pay for it, Debby said. Her husband, Bill Neal, was already retired and drawing Social Security. Between Bill's Social Security and Debby's unemployment check, their income was meager: $865 a month.
Four years later, every bill but the biggest one — $13,000 owed to Robert Packer hospital — has been paid off. Because Debby couldn't afford the $400 a month that the hospital wanted her to pay, the bill was forwarded to a collection agency. Debby gave the agency her cell phone number so they couldn't contact Bill.
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