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Can Medical Bills Cause Bankruptcy?
Most bankruptcies occur for reasons beyond our control. As medical bills continue to soar to extraordinary heights, those who cant afford adequate health insurance have no choice but allocate their savings to vital treatments and procedures. Once these individuals run out of cash, they must resort to bankruptcy. Heres a brief look at the correlation between bankruptcy and medical expenses in the U.S.
Rising Medical Costs
In recent years, medical costs have become more daunting than ever for struggling families and individuals. According to a study by health care consulting firm Milliman Inc., healthcare costs for the average family of four exceed $20,000. Those forced to file for bankruptcy often pay much more than thatespecially considering that an average night in a hospital costs nearly $2,000.
Health-Related Filings
According to the American Journal of Medicine, just over 62% of all bankruptcies in 2007 were filed because of insurmountable medical debtsup from 46% in 2001. After exhausting their savings, many people sell their cars, jewelry, and homes. After months of trying to keep up with medical debts, these individuals have no choice but to resort to bankruptcy.
How Bankruptcy Helps
Bankruptcy is a perfectly legal and honest way to eliminate insurmountable debtsespecially if those debts are of a chiefly medical nature. Chapter 7 bankruptcy can immediately eliminate most debts, including outstanding medical bills, but involves the seizure and sale of personal property. Chapter 13 bankruptcy can also eliminate outstanding debts, but only if the debtor adheres to a three to five-year repayment plan. Before selecting a bankruptcy option, its always a good idea to speak with an experienced bankruptcy attorney.
Millions of Americans are just one illness away from financial ruin, despite being in general good health and obtaining the best health insurance possible. In case of medical emergencies, however, the law permits bankruptcy as a strong safety net. If your medical bills are becoming insurmountable, consider bankruptcy as a solution to your financial problems. You can contact Gary Brenner Law Offices for any further questions.
Debt Can Have an Impact on Your Health
No one thinks debt is fun or enjoyable, but did you know it can also be detrimental to your health? The stress and tension bills can create causes more than just mental discomfort: it can become a serious hazard to your health. It is more important than ever that you get out of debt and save money. There is a lot more at stake than just your credit score.
Anyone who has had to deal with debts from credit cards, medical bills, and loans knows that it can contribute to irritation, frustration, anger, stress, anxiety, and more than a few sleepless nights. Some people, however, experience physical side effects as well, including headaches or migraines, stomach aches, back and/or neck pain, digestive tract problems, serious anxiety and/or depression, increased risk of heart attack and ulcers.
These are all effects of chronic stress, when our bodies are constantly on high alert. Our bodies dont know the difference between a lion chasing us or the fear of not making the mortgage. We react similarly, flooding our system with adrenaline. When our body is under unrelenting stress for long periods of time, it affects the ability of the body and mind to function optimally. What all this means is that overwhelming bills can cause enough stress that our body considers it a serious emergency.
When you pay off credit cards, loans, and other burdensome bills, you begin to feel better. It is not just psychological, though that is important. Your body actually feels better.
If you are trying to cope with huge debts and it is taking its toll on your health, there are several things you can do to feel better. The first is to take action. Often, when we do not have a plan or feel like there is nothing we can do, stress is much worse. What can you do about your debt? Can you speak with your creditors? Can you develop a tighter budget? Do you need counseling from a dependable debt management expert? Is debt reduction a good option for you? There are things you can do to improve your financial situation.
As you are working to improve your personal finances, you can also take steps to reduce stress. Take walks, do yoga, exercise, knit, draw, read, have a movie or card night with friends, talk to someone about your situation and your fears. There are infinite ways to reduce stress, so find what works for you and make a commitment to include it into your day. Stress specifically related to finances can be reduced by not adding to your current balances, saving money, and seeing your credit card balance creep down each month. In this case, positive action is the best stress buster.
One of the most stressful parts of having debts is the feeling of helplessness and isolation. If you feel like you cant do it by yourself, dont worry. You dont have to. Impact Debt Settlement is ready to work with you to achieve not only a better financial future for you and your family, but also better health so you can enjoy that debt free life. Credit repair is possible, and we can help.