My friend of twenty years will soon declare medical bankruptcy. I write this post today because there is nothing I can do to help her; nothing I can do but write. There is nothing she can do. She had insurance. She paid her premiums. She pre-authorized her surgery with her insurance provider. She underwent surgery. Her doctor removed a damaged organ that stopped the severe pain she was suffering and in the process found a multitude of pre-cancerous cells. (In other words the surgery most likely saved her life).
Her insurance company will not pay a cent. Though she is one of the most financially responsible, dollar stretching, only use a credit card when absolutely necessary people I know, she cannot both pay the tens of thousands of dollars of medical bills and keep paying her mortgage and basic life needs expenditures. Bankruptcy looms before her like a black hole.
The over two million Americans who are in medical bankruptcy and those drowning in medical debt who soon will be, are in need of a bail out- yesterday! These Americans are not just the uninsured, they are also the insured. They are not only people of little income but people of middle income.
Medical bankruptcy differs from regular bankruptcy only by the word “medical”, which simply states the reason for having to declare it. There is no mercy for the “medical”- no mercy for being sick, injured, disabled; no mercy for dying. All that matters is that a person can’t pay the doctor or the hospital bills and afford their rent/ mortgage and basic life needs.
Hospitals and doctor’s offices not long ago allowed approximately a year and a half before sending an account to collections. Today delinquent accounts can be sent not only to collections, but to small claims court, in a few months time. Rare now, are the doctors and hospitals who are willing (or financially able) to set up payment plans, in which patients agree to pay what they can afford monthly over a set period of time.
Doctors, hospitals, medical facilities are struggling financially as well and consequently have less room to give financial lead way to their patients. Their expenditures have soared due to astronomic malpractice insurance premiums, a rise in their operating costs that double the rate of inflation, and patients who cannot afford to pay them. It is a vicious cycle, in which insurance companies profit, doctors and hospitals lose and the sick, the injured, and the dying suffer most (as if being sick, injured or dying isn’t enough suffering enough).
Another merciless act of our system is excluding those with preexisting conditions from acquiring medical insurance. The sick cannot get medical insurance unless they have the insurance before they get sick. The sick, the poor, the dying (the one’s we are supposed to be caring for)…are being smashed under the ruble of profit heavy insurance companies.
Caring for the sick and injured through a national healthcare system is not Socialism (as some suggest these days); it is providing the right to health, to life and to the easing of physical pain of our citizens. I love my country but I am ashamed of our medical system and the suffering it adds to the lives of too many Americans.
*Advice (unprofessional Kerry advice):
- Read the small print of an insurance company’s policy over and over again and believe what you read.
-Disclose even the smallest, most insignificant health blip you’ve experienced, or it can be used to deny you coverage after you owe. Here’s the heck of it-if you disclose it, they will deny you coverage.
- If an insurance company’s premiums seem too good to be true, they most likely are. There are still decent and just insurance companies out there, but often they are the most expensive, and affordable to few.
References:
Medical bills swamping even insured folks–LA Times health blog (Susan Brink)
Bankruptcy and Medical Debt–BCS Alliance.com
Health insurance costs-NCHC
My friend in the thick of this mess
I am afraid to say that Bush got rid of “medical bankruptcy.” Now you can only file for bankruptcy. Thank you Mr. flippin Bush!!!!
Signed: Your friend in the thick of this mess~
I went through this myself in my mid 20’s over about only 4K worth of medical debt, but I had no way of paying it. Now I am back in debt and hoping not to have to repeat the process. It is so degrading and demoralizing. I know I wasn’t raised that way, as I am sure is true of your friend as well, and yet, what can you do when you have no options. I will pray for your friend and for all of us who are in the same boat. Something’s gotta give!
I nominated you yesterday for the Kreativ Blogger Award. Please check out my post and claim your prize and pass it on! I hope it brings a smile to your face, you could use one today.
Love and gentle hugs,
Maureen
http://beingchronicallyillisapill.blogspot.com
I still can’t fathom how an insurance company can refuse to pay even after it has granted pre-approval.
Coincidentally, I just received the pre-approval letter yesterday for a 2.5 MRI that my wife had on Monday.
Heartbreaking. Can she hold on another few months? Things may change in January or shortly thereafter, there may be options made available that are not available now. Foreclosures may be frozen at least for a time.
This is so sad and unfortunately it is happening way too often. I have a dear family member who cannot afford to retire at age 75 and cannot afford dental insurance so has watched her teeth decay with no help available. A person should not have to choose between getting medical help or eating in a country as rich as America! We do what we can for others, and only hope that soon our country will do the same.
Renee
Kerry,
Due to my illnesses being so severe and numerous and my pre-existing conditions causing trouble, and our $1,000 deductible per person per year despite the fact that we pay COBRA (full premium) insurance because my husband’s job has no health benefits, here we are:
1) I applied for SS disability in January 2006. After over 2 years of pure HE–, I finally got a hearing before a judge. (It would have been another 6 months or so to get a hearing but our foreclosure classified my case as “dire needs” so I got bumped up a little.
2) We used my disability settlement mainly to get our house out of foreclosure. (This was the 2nd time we were in danger of losing our house to foreclosure).
The first time never made it past “loss mitigation” and into foreclosure but this most recent one did.
3) We did a ‘medical bankruptcy’ in 2005 to protect the house we built with our own hands in 1998-9 when finances were WAYYYY better and I was not so very, very sick.
4) I just FINALLY went to the dentist today to get lots of work done while I still have some disability check money available. I had 4 fillings in a row done yesterday! I couldn’t afford to go in sooner than now! I need to go back for more dental work before our COBRA dental runs out. (I couldn’t even afford the 50% co-pay for the fillings until I got that darn disability check!
5) My husband has worked 7 days a week for about 3 months now and I worry about him. When I tried going back to work PART TIME, I got REALLY sick and still haven’t recovered to where I had been before I was so stupid. *That was in 2002-3). I have been chronically ill since age 13 (I’m 39 now). However, it was the year 2000 that I became REALLLLY sick after a ten day hospitalization. So I do the best I can to be productive blogging and I’ve been group leader of an endo support group for 7 years. (We’re transitioning the group to less frequent meetings now.
I have met monthly with groups here and where I used to live since diagnosis in 1992. So I’ll miss the monthly meetings.
You get the general idea. After almost losing our house twice (well, 3 times if you count protecting it with the bankruptcy… after mountains of medical bills, etc… My husband and I are just as stressed out as we get!!!
It’s all medical that is messing up our finances so badly. It’s so sad… It is especially frightening now with the economy this way. (My husband job working at a large division of a bank could end quicker than he anticipated)!
I could go on and on but I won’t explain the botched surgery that appears to have resulted in permanent damage. You get the idea.
It is disgraceful that things have reached this point!! Things have to get better!
Jeanne
P.S. Has your friend tried working with a loss mitigation company? Ours was paid for by our bank/mortgage holder. (Bank doesn’t want to do foreclosures b/c they take a hit… especially now with the housing market like it is). We had great luck with the loss mitigation company. They were really nice and non-judgmental. They staved off foreclosure as long as they possibly could…
This is a heart wrenching subject. I thank all of you for sharing your own stories and your empathy and compassion. I will have my friend read your supporting words.
Fortunately with bankruptcy she will be able to keep her house…and her awesome hubby who is sharing the journey. They both have terrific attitudes. Right now for them it must feel like finding yourself having to live your life on the edge of a cliff, unable to get medical insurance, no possibility of qualifying for credit no matter how much you need it, etc…
Jeanne, your story, the stress you and your husband have gone through is too much…and yet instead of crumbling under it, you support and help others through your blog, and your incredibly compassionate heart.
Maureen, You’ve already been there in bankruptcy and I hope never have to go there again. Was there an actual “medical bankruptcy’ when you had to file?
Renee and Jeanne, you are bringing awareness to another problem dental care! It takes second seat to the medical and often is what never gets done until too much damage is done.
The point you all have made and I tried to make in my post, is that none of this should be happening. Going bankrupt and receiving medical care should never go together. Our broken medical system is financially breaking down innocent folks who just happened to get sick.
My friend who I wrote this post about is a life coach who works with people who are ill (chronic and terminal). She has come through unimaginabel losses with her spirit, sense of humor and compassion for others intact. She makes good lemonade!
As do you my new friends. I am grateful that our blogging has brought us together to share our journeys. Your “never give up” spirits, your abundant compassion, and your fun blogs, where I get to visit you, make my days all the brighter.
Maureen thank you for brightening up my last couple days with the Kreativ blog award. I have had much fun doing the excercise the award requires. I love your blog, and would give the award right back at ya if you hadn’t already received it!
Kerry
People need to get medical attention and deal with the debt. Health can’t slide no matter how bad the economy is. There are things people can do, such as consumers need to be sure the medical provider is billing them correctly, they can negotiate down bills, and compare prices. I found this site had some ways that I saved on my medical bills. Any other good tips? Thanks
http://www.needhelppayingbills.com
Hi John, thanks for visiting.
You are right health care shouldn’t slide because of the economy. Things have changed however, most doctors and hospitals can no longer afford to negotiate down bill and unpaid bills are sent to small claims court in a matter of months.
My friend who is declaring bankruptcy is working closely with a lawyer, talking to doctors and hospitals daily…bankruptcy right now is the only option.
No one should have to let their health go due to the economy, but sadly, those without financial means, insurance, or good insurance are having to skip doses of their medications and put off going to the doctor because their is no money to pay for the care. If they don’t pay, debt and bankruptcy are real possiblilites.
Let’s all write our legislators, write on our blogs, write editorials, shout, do whatever we can to get our medical system (that does not work for too many) fixed.
I don