Would you ever consider declaring bankruptcy if your hospital bill was high enough?

Depends on if the hospital was willing to work out a repayment plan or if they were demanding the money right away

Usually easier to just negotiate a discounted payment. Walk into the business office with a prepared Bankruptcy filing. Along with all your financial information. Tell them you'll write a check for $5000 in exchange for a total release. Or, you'll file BK and they get nothing.

They'll take the $5000.

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doubt you can claim bankruptcy for medical bills

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If you don't know, don't say.

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you can set up a payment plan for like $5 a month with the hospital

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It won’t be THAT cheap, but yes....you can set up a payment agreement with the hospital. As long as you send in the agreed payment....they will leave you alone and not screw your credit.

My dad owed like 3-4K from a hospital stay (after insurance). Hospital has him paying $89 a month until it’s paid off.

In the 90s I knew a guy in NOLA with no savings and decent (not rich) income, who destroyed his pancreas. He was in surgical ICU for over 2 months in an induced coma with his body opened up the whole time to wash the dead tissue off of what was left of his pancreas.

When he came out of that, the bill was astronomical. The hospital knew they'd never be paid all of it. They worked out a reasonable payment plan with him.

He went back to doing the things that destroyed his pancreas and he's no longer with us.

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only debt you can't discharge in BK are student loans.

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The ones I can think of are;
Student loans
Taxes
Any debt obtained fraudulently

There may be other categories. But I'm almost certain medical bills are discharged in BK

Absolutely not. Long as ur paying, nothing they can do. Pay $10 month and call it a day

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What the hell are they getting for their insurance?

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People on Medicare who are under 65 due to disability and in a state where they cannot purchase a supplement and didn't purchase an Advantage plan. They have 20% co-insurance on Part B with no ceiling.

I would just try and get on a payment plan. I don't think you can pay as little as $10/mo like some are saying but you should get it down to an amount that isn't crippling so you can go about your life.

If you can’t work out a reasonable negotiated settlement with the hospital you’re a moron. Most of them will gladly take a fraction of the bill, even if it’s only paid a few dollars each month over the course of several years.