02-12-2009, 05:03 AM
Actually many hospitals are very active in collecting bills owed,and very quick to turn people over to collections, even for small amounts. The following quote is from this web site: http://www.bcsalliance.com/y_debt_medical.html
"For the years 2003 and 2004, just over 50 percent of all personal bankruptcies were the result of medical debt by those with health insurance. A significant percentage of those listing medical debt as the reason for their bankruptcy are 65 and older. Other groups disproportionately bankrupted by medical debt include single women raising children on low wages or who have been abandoned by their husbands who refuse to pay child support.
The medical debt causing these bankruptcies isn't overwhelming in many circumstances. Statistics available in 2003 are as follows: about 20% of bankruptcy filings involve a medical debt of less than $1,000; about 40% involve a medical debt of less than $5,000; and 13% of bankruptcy filings involve a medical debt of over $10,000. One would think these people could make some sort of payment arrangements to pay off the debt rather than file bankruptcy."
I personally have known several people who lost their homes in Eugene, Oregon when the local non profit Catholic Hospital (locally known as Sacred Wallet) went after them for relatively small debts and wouldn't work out a doable payment schedule. Instead they rapidly turned them over to a collection agency who where completely inflexible, and then sued to take their only real asset, their home. These were hard working, honest people who were under insured through their employer and then could not work while recovering from their illness, they just needed a little time to get back on their feet, and instead ended up living in a car after losing their house to the bill collector. Often you are better of having no insurance than inadequate insurance under the current system.
Carol
"For the years 2003 and 2004, just over 50 percent of all personal bankruptcies were the result of medical debt by those with health insurance. A significant percentage of those listing medical debt as the reason for their bankruptcy are 65 and older. Other groups disproportionately bankrupted by medical debt include single women raising children on low wages or who have been abandoned by their husbands who refuse to pay child support.
The medical debt causing these bankruptcies isn't overwhelming in many circumstances. Statistics available in 2003 are as follows: about 20% of bankruptcy filings involve a medical debt of less than $1,000; about 40% involve a medical debt of less than $5,000; and 13% of bankruptcy filings involve a medical debt of over $10,000. One would think these people could make some sort of payment arrangements to pay off the debt rather than file bankruptcy."
I personally have known several people who lost their homes in Eugene, Oregon when the local non profit Catholic Hospital (locally known as Sacred Wallet) went after them for relatively small debts and wouldn't work out a doable payment schedule. Instead they rapidly turned them over to a collection agency who where completely inflexible, and then sued to take their only real asset, their home. These were hard working, honest people who were under insured through their employer and then could not work while recovering from their illness, they just needed a little time to get back on their feet, and instead ended up living in a car after losing their house to the bill collector. Often you are better of having no insurance than inadequate insurance under the current system.
Carol
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb