To meet minimum living expenses (food, housing, clothing, basic transportation, and medical care) in my town of Springfield, MO, you would need around $2,000 / month ($24,000 / year) income. 

Has anyone encountered this before and is it considered discrimination to charge a pet fee to one roommate and not the other if one if for medical reason and the other is just to have a pet?

The main reason I do not have that license anymore and do not do construction is because of some medical problems I had that made me bedridden. 

You are exchanging a high rate for a buyers market, swallow the pill and take advantage on this market. 

There were no relatives and whatever he got was going to pay for his medical.

I'll make the analogy again about Doctors-- They all go to medical school, but you don't go to a podiatrist for brain surgery.

Medical students or nurses or similar would also be an option.

Property tax ~$2,000/yr.The property is located in an area close to a college/medical school and 2 hospitals so I don't foresee any future problems renting it out. 

The credit issue could be due to divorce, medical bills, etc, If you think they will be good tenants, why not just collect the first month rent and security deposit?  

I don't understand why Medicare is concerned with his assets unless he has unpaid medical bills but I didn't ask...is there any way around this???