Medical Bill Assistance

 

Unpaid Medical Bills

Medical bills can ruin your credit if left unpaid. Each service provider, from the doctor to the hospital and everyone else in between, reserves the right to collect on a debt for services rendered. These collection attempts on unpaid medical bills can ultimately lead to legal action.

Most medical charges are directly pursued for a period

of up to 6 months. After that, the billers typically will declare the balance as a bad debt. At this point, the biller may cut their losses by selling the account. It is common for patients to find that their debts have been sold to outside debt collectors and are no longer under the control of the original physicians or hospital.

Debt collectors may be attorneys or a collection agency. Either way, they can be relentless as they pursue repayment of the debt. You can expect to receive increasingly threatening letters and telephone calls.

Harassment, late fees and high interest are all common complaints of debt collectors. To make matters worse, legal action to force repayment is a possibility that you have to consider also.

Some actions by debt collectors who pursue unpaid medical debts may be illegal. Unless you know your rights, you may fail to protect yourself and cause even more harm. Even legal actions can be devastating to your finances. Depending on where you live, a judgment could result in levies against your bank account balances or garnishment of your wages. This can be particularly difficult to deal with, since it threatens your ability to pay your other more important debts, such as mortgage or rent, car payments and even credit card payments.

If this sounds familiar, understand that you are not alone. Find out what local organizations can help you handle your medical bills. While a select few may be able to provide some financial assistance, most try to help you budget and manage your debt. Get help with your unpaid medical bills before they turn into a financial nightmare.

Otherwise, you are at the mercy of those who attempt to collect what you owe. This distraction can interfere with your job, your family life and even your sleep habits. Simply ignoring your healthcare costs can make the matter worse, so it is imperative that you understand what you owe and have a plan for how you will manage the situation.