A broken bone, mental health therapy, a long-term illness, a car accident, a premature baby. All of these situations – and so many more unexpected ones – can land a family in medical debt. “Medical debt is different from other forms of debt, because it is usually incurred accidentally or faultlessly. People do not plan to fall ill or hurt themselves, and health care remedies are often unavoidable…” Wikipedia reads. A family can’t comparison shop for a needed surgery or delay treatment for cancer until they have the money to pay for it in full.
When most people think of medical debt, they think of a person or family with no health insurance at all, yet a large percentage of Americans who have incurred medical debt actually do possess health insurance (also known as the “underinsured”). According to a Kaiser Family Foundation study, 70 percent of those with medical debt were insured, and their financial struggles arose from cost-sharing and other out-of-pocket expenses.
If you find yourself facing medical debt, here are some steps and options to consider.
1. Make sure the amounts billed are correct
Doctors, nurses, medical billers, and other staff can make mistakes in billing, so verify you are being charged for services you actually received. If you have insurance, call your insurance company to confirm that all itemized amounts have been written off correctly in accordance with your policy.
2. Contact your medical provider
One of the biggest mistakes people make is to ignore their medical bills. Financial counselors with The Village Financial Resource Center advise people to contact their medical provider right away if they are going to have a difficult time paying a bill.
3. Ask about community care or charity care
Most medical providers will have a process by which they will look at reducing or forgiving a medical bill.
4. Make arrangements
Work out a payment arrangement with the provider. If you aren’t able to settle on a payment arrangement, the provider will most likely turn the debt over to a collection agency. Medical providers do not hang onto their receivables for any length of time without an agreed-upon arrangement.
5. Stay calm
If your debt is turned over to a collection agency, don’t panic. The idea of a collection agency may be a bit scary, but it’s not the end of the world. Some agencies can be very cooperative. On the other hand, others are not so cooperative and will use the threat of judgment or garnishment to get you to pay off the debt. The key is to stay calm and try to work with them.
6. Stick to your payment arrangements
Do your best to make the agreed upon payments. If you find yourself unable to pay during a given month, call the provider instead of simply not sending the money. They are more apt to work with you if you keep open the lines of communication.
7. Make a down payment
Use money from a savings account or other source to make an initial payment. Sometimes you can negotiate a lower final payment if you are able to pay a large enough down payment at the start.
8. Avoid using retirement dollars
Consider carefully before borrowing on an IRA (individual retirement account) to pay medical bills. You may be able to borrow on your IRA tax-free for medical purposes, it's not recommended. IRA’s are meant for retirement, not for paying off medical debt.
9. Avoid using a credit card
Be wary of suggestions to put your medical debt on a credit card. It may be tempting to use your credit card to get the collector off your back, but unless it’s just a couple thousand dollars, it's not a good idea. Even a credit card with a low interest rate is probably going to charge higher interest than the medical provider, and if you can’t handle a payment arrangement with your provider, what makes you think you can handle the credit card payment?
The best way to tackle medical debt is head-on. Be up front about the financial obligation and be proactive and thoughtful when considering the payoff options.
For help with financial issues, please visit The Village Financial Resource Center or contact us online to set up an appointment.
