Advice if You Cannot Pay Medical Bills

READER QUESTION

What about medical bills that I cannot repay? Where does this fall into credit card debt, CCC programs, and debt settlement?

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Bills.com Resident Expert
Dec 12, 2011
BILL'S ANSWER

Thanks for your question. The quick answer to how to resolve those medical bills is that you can probably explore debt settlement, but should also consider bankruptcy (medical debt is a primary driver of bankruptcy in the USA) and getting a consolidation loan.

Very quickly, if you want a free debt consultation with one of Bill's approved debt help partners, click here: Debt Relief Savings Quote

There are several options available to assist consumers struggling with unsecured debts such as credit cards and medical bills. The most common are debt consolidation, consumer credit counseling, and debt settlement. Bills.com offers a wealth of information about various debt relief options, available on the debt help section of our website.

Typically, credit counseling is for larger more established creditors, so it will likely not be the best course of action for you. If you own a home and can get a mortgage refinance loan, then that might be your best strategy.

If, however, you have bad credit or do not have equity to pull out of your home, you can consider a debt settlement program.

If you are looking for the least expensive method to resolve your debts, I recommend that you consider a debt settlement program. Rather than making monthly payments to your creditors, these programs negotiate lump sum settlements with your creditors, frequently reducing your debts by 50% to 60% of your principal balances. These programs usually take only 2-3 years to complete, so this is a good option for many people to rid themselves of debt in a relatively speedy manner. In many cases they can also reduce your monthly payment toward your debt. There is one major drawback to debt settlement programs, though–they will significantly damage your credit while in the program and for at least a year or two afterwards. However, if you are currently unable to afford to pay your creditors, the hit to your credit may be worth the benefit of ridding yourself of credit card debt. If you visit https://www.bills.com/debthelp/debt/ and enter your contact information, we can have a pre-screened debt settlement firm contact you to discuss the debt relief options available to you.

I wish you the best of luck in resolving your medical bills, and hope that the information I have provided helps you Find. Learn. Save.

Best,

Bill

www.Bills.com/

Comments (4)


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Bills.com
July 08, 2010
Student loan deferments are written into the loan contracts. There are no hospital admittance forms I have seen that contain deferment provisions. Your friend needs to negotiate with the medical service provider to reach an agreement for a payment schedule.
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Concerned F.
July 08, 2010
I have a friend who is attending college, but this summer during off time, had two trips to the emergency room. She barely makes enough to scrape by, and all her loans go straight into her school. Is there a way to legally get medical bill repayment deferred? In a similar way student loans work?
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Bills.com
September 21, 2009
Just because you are in debt and behind in your payments does not mean you give up your rights. See the Bills.com Collection Laws and Statute of Limitations for information about collection laws from each state. In Florida, whether your wages can be garnished depends on if you are considered the "head of the household." To learn more about your rights under Federal law, see the FTC Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) Web page. Florida's consumer protection laws regarding debts are even tougher than the Federal statutes. See Florida 559.72.
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Sharon H.
September 18, 2009
I have a hospital bill from 3 yrs ago and am unable to pay it as my husband is unemployed and we are having a hard time making it. It was turned over to a debt collection agency and they told me they would garnish my wages. Can they legally do that? I live in Florida.
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