Who is at risk for high medical debt?

 Posted on December 24, 2019 in Medical Debt and Bankruptcy

There is no denying that the cost of medical care is way too high. One serious illness or injury can put your family in serious financial trouble. This is true even if you have medical insurance. The out-of-pocket costs seem to only be going up. This poses a huge problem for many people in Maryland who simply cannot afford medical care and end up in debt because of it.

The Kaiser Family Foundation explains that medical debt is an issue at almost every age and income level. The costs are so astronomical that even those who have high incomes and good insurance are at risk of struggling with medical debt. The problem is even worse for those in lower income brackets with many lower income individuals often having to choose between basic necessities and paying medical bills.

Many times, debt starts out with a medical emergency. This is something that requires medical attention immediately. All it takes is one surgery or stay in the hospital to accumulate debt that often is higher than what you make working in one year. It is very easy to end up with medical debt that rivals student loan debt, which is another area that causes severe financial issues for many.

Statistics tend to show that while everyone is at risk for crippling medical debt, you are at a higher risk if you are a female with children living in the south and under the age of 30. This increases even more if you do not have a college degree and are black or Hispanic. If you have insurance but it has a high deductible, then you also are likely to end up in debt. This information is for education and is not legal advice.