This is the one I was talking about. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-12-20-mn-600-story.html  $1Billion in settlement.  
 

Superfund cleanup sights are all over the place.  I wonder if any have been successfully cleaned up.  There was one here near my DHs work but Ive lost track of it.  Johns Manville in CO had a real mess on their hands, too.  
 

I was surprised a couple yrs ago when the sight of a horse stable that held roping events here in Phoenix was put up for sale and the sale was stopped because the land was contaminated.  The owners hauled about 12-14" of top layer dirt over a 10 acre sight and then hauled in fresh dirt? Leveled it and its now the sight of part of Arrowhead Housing development.

I thought there was some movement to stop that practice.  We got caught in that mess several years ago and ended up paying tax on a $15,000 insurance deal.  I was livid!

That’s the time to hire an attorney and take it public.

That is sad. Was the cancer caused by chemicals on the property?

Does the insurance write off the rest?  They are supposed to if it’s in your policy.  Dentists are starting to require payment up front,mthen the patient gets back whatever the insurance pays.  They aren’t honoring their agreements to take the amount agreed upon with the insurance company.

I agree 100% with what You said:   
 

ROCKETMAN:  I was hoping that Covid would kick a move to some kind of universal health care into overdrive but it looks like that once in a lifetime opportunity fizzled, leaving the US the lone place in the world where an illness leads to financial ruin.

And the supreme irony is, - bad debt writeoffs are a much bigger number than what it would cost to just bite the bullet and have universal health care.

IIRC, it was far too rare and no sufficient studies to link the cancer to the spill.  

Thats to9 bad but it seems suspicious.

I have a vague idea  how it works since we have Medicare and a Supplemental insurance.  Providers bill medicare who determines the amount that is approved.  So doc bills Medicare $100 and Medicare says $50 is approved in the agreement with doc/hospital/lab.  Then Medicare pays 80% or $40.  Supplemental then pays $10.  Docs/labs/hospitals have agreements to accept whatever value Medicare dictates.  In this example, I would be responsible for the $10 if I didn't have Supplemental.  Some docs don't accept Medicare so it is absolutely necessary to be sure to verify that your provider does accept Medicare.   From my personal experience Dental insurance is a complete joke.  

Luckily they didn't need $$$.  And she had a fabulous insurance.