79 million or 28% of American paying off medical debt

[Liberal_in_LA]

http://blogs.creditcards.com/2008/08/medical-debt-credit-cards.php

Study: 79 million struggling to pay medical debt and bills

Connie Prater | August 26, 2008 | Research, regulation, industry reports

More signs that Americans are juggling medical debt and turning to credit cards to pay their health care bills: A new study released last week by the Commonwealth Fund has found that nearly 79 million adults in the United States are struggling to pay medical bills or have medical bill problems.

The study -- "Seeing Red: The Growing Burden of Medical Bills and Debt Faced by U.S. Families" -- is the latest biennial look at America's health insurance and medical care system.

Turning to credit cards
Rising medical costs and burgeoning out-of-pocket expenses have put many American families on the edge financially. Researchers found that nearly 21 million people say they took on credit card debt in the previous two years to pay medical bills, nearly 8 million took out second mortgages or loans and 28 million report using up all their savings because of medical debt.

Some 28 million people had been contacted by debt collection agencies in the past year about unpaid medical bills.

[guitar man]

1. and the rest of us

have medical debt we can't pay off because we can't afford to buy food and gas and pay the med debt too. Bankruptcy is the only option for a lot of us. This of course excludes that upper 1-2% that don't want for a damn thing at everyone else's expense. :grr:

[TooBigaTent]

5. And the rest of the rest of us (excepting rich repukes) just avoid medical care to stay out of debt.

But hey, we can always go to the emergency room, right?

[guitar man]

8. that works pretty well

until you get a little older and you curl up your toes and lay flat on the floor with a heart attack, stroke or other serious condition. At that point, you don't get a choice, you just went probably $100k plus in debt involuntarily, if you survive.

And if you have a 2 year old like I do, forget it, you have to have med coverage or you're completely screwed. I'm barking off $5k a year out of my paycheck in premiums for my :employer provided" plan and I STILL have a pile of med bills to pay in spite of it. :grr:

[no_hypocrisy]

2. One illness and you can go bankrupt in no time.

Imagine your house is worth less, much less since the subprime morass. Your mortgage is worth more than the present value of your home. But your property taxes have increased so you can't afford to live there anymore. And the market sucks. You finally find a buyer. But at closing time, you also find the doctor(s) and the hospital have filed a judgment as a lien against your house in event it's sold. You will be fortunate if you have enough money to make a down payment on another house anywhere after the payoff of the mortgage and the judgment are concluded.

[avaistheone1]

3. I am one ot those people.

It's time for single-payer universal coverage. I hope our candidate has the courage and the will to make it happen.

[HereSince1628]

4. Anyone know if that included Dental bills?

Just wondering because the number could be even larger if this figure doesn't include them.

[Liberal_in_LA]

9. Many people forgo Dentists when they can't afford and lose their teeth.

[TahitiNut]

11. #18 is sitting on my desk as I type this

:shrug:

[HereSince1628]

12. Yes, all the preventive care I am sure and then the pain becomes excruciating

and something must be done.

One of the local dentists will yank a tooth for about $80, but a lot of dentists are opposed and will push for options that can be very expensive

[Stellabella]

6. I don't know what it's going to take to wake up America.

In my small town, there are an alarming number of McCain campaign signs on houses that are very small and are very ratty looking. I know the people living in those houses are struggling. Yet they keep voting against their own self-interests.

There are two kinds of Repukes: millionaires and suckers.

[Double T]

7. When the american people finally take the doctors, hospitals, big pharma and...........

health care insurance companies and their investors off their pedestals maybe something different will be done. Continual double digit annual increases which is more than twice the rate of the government's phony inflation numbers place health care at the top of the greed mongering criminal list. I would expire before lining these greedy bastard's pockets with more blood and guts money. There is NO EXCUSE for plain old insatiable greed. americans have become prisoners of debt and it is long past time to do something about it.

[ColbertWatcher]

10. 28% of Americans paying off medical debt. Needs to be repeated ...

... over and over until the election.

That is disgraceful.