Help with paying medical debts
After visiting the doctor, or having surgery or using the health care system, the bill often comes due weeks or months later. If it is not paid on time, it becomes a medical debt that the patients owes, whether they have insurance or not. Find how to get help with medical debt.
There are charitable as well as government assistance programs for consolidating debt as well as forgiveness programs. Or learn how to negotiate reductions or discounts, enter into payment plans for past due medical debt or get relief to settle the account. As low-income families, the under or uninsured and people on Medicaid or Medicare have options when it comes to getting out of medical debt.
How to eliminate or forgive medical debt
Debt settlement will eliminate unpaid medical bills. Many non-profit credit counseling agencies as well as hospitals or doctors offer relief to struggling or low-income families. As the medial providers generally find it in their interest, due to PR or collection reasons, to help people settle their bills.
- Patients who are behind on payments to their doctor, hospital; or health care provider, debt settlement programs or plans (DMP) will be an option for them. These programs will eliminate most or all of their medical obligations. Learn more on assistance such as debt settlement for medical bills.
Consolidate hospital and medical debts to save money on interest costs. Learn about options available to patients, including paying plans, refinancing, low-cost loans and more. Many services from free credit counselors or lenders will help people consolidate both hospital as well as other medical debt in effort to reduce monthly payments. There are many companies that focus on offering this type of consolidation and the programs and resulting loans will be used to pay off past due bills. More on consolidating medical debt.
Consumer credit counseling organizations may also be able to provide individuals with assistance on the best ways to find, and apply for free medical debt relief, including from the government. Most of these are non-profit agencies. Get help with medical debts and addressing health care expenses, with a focus on low-income families, the uninsured and working poor. Learn more about a consumer credit counseling organization.
State programs help consumers with medical debt, including offering relief or legal support. Many states have laws, government regulations and programs that protect patients from aggressive medical debt collection practices. These local rules and regulations will also ensure consumers are not charged high interest rates when they cannot afford to pay their hospital or dental provider or other medical debts. Get information on other medical debt collection laws that will help patients.
Crowdfunding platforms can be used to raise money to pay off medical debt. Anyone can use them, whether they have insurance or not. Crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe and Paypal allow patients to create fund-raising campaigns to help cover medical expenses. The cost to start this process is minimal and there are no barriers to raising money. While not a guaranteed solution, these platforms can sometimes help people raise the money to pay off medical bills/debt, with GoFundMe specializing in this approach. Find more details on GoFundMe to pay medical debt.
Non-profits that help pay medical debt
Undue Medical Debt works with patients to help them eliminate any debt they have. The company also partners with healthcare providers, such as hospitals and doctor offices, as well as insurance companies on this service. The non-profit, formerly known as RIP Medical Deb, buys medical debt for individuals and families facing financial hardship and then they forgive some or all of it after a certain percent has been paid. The email/contact is here.
NPAF, or the National Patient Advocate Foundation, will help the working poor and people with no insurance pay their debts, whether from a surgery or regular medical appointments. There is also help to pay for medications, co-pays and other medical bills that are past due and become a debt. People on Medicaid or Medicare, that are in debt, can also apply for assistance. Call (202) 347-8009.
Free Legal Aid will help people in medical debt. The service range from negotiations to advice on applying for charity care, benefits such as Medicaid or Medicare and other support. Non-profit legal services and the pro-bono lawyers offer assistance to individuals dealing with medical debt issues, including advice on consumer rights, negotiating medical bills, information on stopping collection calls and potential legal remedies. Find a free lawyer for debt help.
Conclusion
It is critical to pay off medical debt / bills as soon as possible. Multiple studies shows that an illness or a condition that causes people to take on excessive medical debt or accrue unpaid bills can contribute to over 60% of bankruptcies. The programs above will help patients so they do not have to go into bankruptcy.
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