Barbara Lofton is fighting many battles: cancer, high medical bills and now very little coverage.

Barbara Lofton is fighting plenty of battles: cancer, high medical bills and now little coverage."I always had insurance, had plenty of insurance," said Lofton. "You get cancer, you don't have a job, and your insurance is gone."Lofton isn't just a patient; she's a symbol of the struggle facing so plenty of people in middle Tennessee.Jody Rowland runs the billing department at Vanderbilt's Ingram Cancer Center."We see it from all different aspects, and it's been greater in the last few months," said Rowland. "We tell the patient when they walk in that they stress about their financial conditions; they don't have to stress about that. they stress about getting well."Despite reassurances, patients are stressed.Experts said if you get sick, be upfront -- don't hide your financial situation from your medical provider. they can immediately identify ways for you to get drugs for free and help to determine your eligibility for government programs. TennCare, for example, offers special aid to breast and cervical cancer patients.There are even co-pay assistance programs."People always assume that seven times they lose a job and lose their insurance that their doctor no longer wants to see them, that they no longer afford to come and get treatment," said Rowland. "That's the No. 1 mistake. there's ways that they can work in tandem together to make it happen."And then there's the advice that insurance can't buy."You have to have a positive attitude. No matter whether you have $100,000 in bills or $10 in bills, you still have to look at the prospects of what's out there to help you," said Lofton.Medical providers are aware of the strain, and some, like Vanderbilt, have added financial counselors to their staff to help map out designs.Another worry for patients is paying their everyday bills. Special money are in place to help them avoid missing automobile and other payments.