Lynette is a 44 year old busy single mom of a 17 year old daughter. When she had difficulty breathing and started to have chest pains, she went to the hospital and was admitted to the intensive care unit. Lynette thought that the Oregon Health Plan would take care of the bill. She was surprised when the hospital and later a collections agency said that she owed them for some of the treatments she received in the hospital. Lynette’s income covered her rent, utilities and groceries, with almost nothing left over. It would have been impossible to pay the hospital bill and stay current on other bills. She called legal aid, and the attorney worked things out with the hospital. Lynette said, “Legal aid was a godsend to me and I’m not sure what I would have done if they hadn’t been there to help.
