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How to manage your medical debts

On Behalf of | Dec 17, 2020 | Bankruptcy |

Even if you have health insurance, there is no guarantee that it’ll cover the cost of a medication or a New Jersey surgical procedure. However, there are steps that you can take to reduce or pay down medical debt in a timely manner.

Don’t be afraid to negotiate

It may be possible to reduce your medical debt simply by asking a doctor or hospital to forgive a portion of the balance. This may be an especially effective tactic if you don’t have insurance or can demonstrate a lack of ability to pay. In some cases, you might be able to save money by negotiating the price of a procedure before it is performed.

Look for errors on an invoice

It isn’t uncommon for hospitals to bill patients for services that they never received or that were supposed to be covered by their insurance companies. There is also a chance that your coverage provider made an error when it refused to pay for services that were included in your health insurance policy. Spotting these types of errors may help shave thousands of dollars off of your overall debt balance.

Ask for help

Friends, family members and others may be willing to help you cover the cost of a recent trip to the hospital or the cost of your diabetes medication. Furthermore, most hospitals in the United States offer financial assistance to patients who are uninsured.

If you don’t have the means to pay a medical debt, it may be a good idea to file for bankruptcy. A bankruptcy attorney may be able to explain the potential benefits of doing so such as obtaining an automatic stay. Typically, Chapter 7 proceedings take about six months to complete while Chapter 13 proceedings can take up to five years to conclude.

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