Whether you have health insurance coverage or not, the costs of medical care in Tennessee can add up quickly. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, one out of every five credit reports contains overdue debts resulting from medical bills. At Rothschild & Ausbrooks, PLLC, people often ask us how to deal with these types of debts. As such, we will discuss options for getting control of your medical debts in this post.
Mistakes in medical billing occur more often than you would think. Therefore, you should always check your billing and explanation of benefits statements to ensure that the right services were billed to your insurance company. If you have questions, or there are discrepancies, it is important to call your health insurance carrier to determine why a bill was not paid. Taking action to clear up billing errors may save you from paying incorrect amounts.
Sometimes, you may need medical treatment due to an unexpected injury or illness. In these situations, you may not have the time to plan and save for your medical expenses. If you cannot immediately pay your bill in full, your doctor’s office may be willing to work with you. You may consider contacting your physician’s billing department to discuss a possible payment plan, or to let them know you are following up with your insurance company.
When you are unable to deal with overwhelming medical debts through other options, you may consider declaring bankruptcy. In general, medical debts are treated as unsecured debts in Chapter 7 bankruptcy filings. As such, your bankruptcy trustee may pay off a portion of these debts. The remainder may be eliminated through your bankruptcy discharge.
To learn more about dealing with unmanageable debt resulting from medical expenses, please visit our medical debt page.
