Mary Gannon worked a new job, as a medical assistant temp, without health insurance. When she felt a lump in her groin, she paid out of pocket for initial testing and to have the lump removed. When she couldn't afford a $3,000 PET scan to determine the severity of her cancer, she had to wait until she was determined eligible for charity care or approved for medical assistance. She waited eight weeks, an extremely stressful and potentially dangerous delay.EndText