The American healthcare system is not known for its affordability. Giving birth costs an average of $18,885 nationwide before insurance. If you have a medical emergency, you can expect to spend hundreds on your ambulance ride — and that doesn’t even include the cost of the medical care itself. In fact, medical debt is the leading type […]
Why Black Americans are more likely to be saddled with medical debt
Black communities in the U.S. suffer disproportionately from health care debt. The reasons go back to segregation and a history of racist policies that have limited Black wealth.
A new app makes it easier for people with medical debt to declare bankruptcy
Medical bills are often what push families into personal bankruptcy, a costly process that can cancel most debts. A nonprofit is trying to help cut the cost.
Tennessee-based TeamHealth overcharged ER patients for earaches, strep throat and pregnancy tests, according to $100M lawsuit
Two titans in health care are clashing in court over emergency room charges.
The Pulaski ER billed her husband $6K for 6 stitches. Then she nearly died to avoid going back.
Jason and DeeAnn Dean recently relocated to her hometown of Dellrose to start organic farming. But an accident led to a fight over a medical bill and impacted their decisions about life-saving care.
Study: Residents Of Southern States Without Medicaid Expansion Have Far More Medical Debt
People who live in the South owe doctors and hospitals more than three times as much as those who live in the Northeast. That’s according to a new study that looked at unpaid medical debts in collections for the last decade and found that medical debt started shrinking after the implementation of Obamacare, as more people were covered by insurance.
How One Tennessee Court Is Helping Patients Avoid Complications From Medical Debt
A Tennessee program is trying to keep medical debt cases from ever reaching the courtroom. The goal is to help patients work out a deal with medical providers before the costs start piling up.
‘We Ought To Be Humane’: Cookeville Hospital’s Lawsuits Spur Calls For Change
Even a longtime physician who helped save Cookeville’s hospital had no idea how frequently patients are sued for unpaid bills. After a WPLN News investigation showed that Cookeville Regional Medical Center sued nearly a thousand people just last year, some patient advocates are calling for change.
Nashville’s Charity ER Has Been Suing More Patients Than Anywhere Else In Town
Nashville General is the city-funded, safety-net hospital. For a patient without insurance, this is supposed to be the best place to go. But its emergency room has been taking more patients to court for unpaid medical bills than any other hospital or practice in town.
Tennessee Study Finds Medical Debt Is Surprisingly Common
Listen Tennesseans shoulder more medical debt than the rest of the country, and the heaviest burden is where there are high rates of uninsured people, according to the latest in a series of reports from the Sycamore Institute.
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