We here at the Law Office of Paul Petrillo find that many of those who we work with in Salem want to avoid bankruptcy at all costs. Many of them, however, find themselves unable to work thanks to medical ailments or conditions. Illness or injury can potentially strike you down at any time of your career. The Council for Disability Awareness reports that of the more than 37 million Americans identified as disabled, over half are between the ages of 18 to 64.
If your medical problems won’t allow you to work, your options may seem limited when it comes to meeting the expenses associated with your condition. Yet there are still financial assistance avenues that you may explore:
- Federal health insurance: If your medical conditions make it so that you can’t work, you could potentially qualify for Medicare coverage. That may help in paying any future medical expenses, yet it may not be able to cover any debts retroactively.
- Hospital or clinic financial assistance programs: The doctor who treated you wants to be paid for his or her services, as does the facility where the care was rendered. Thus, you may be able to work out a reasonable settlement or a payment installment plan with such parties.
- Debt consolidation: You may be able to roll all of your existing medical debt into a consolidation loan. This allows you to focus on making a single payment to be applied towards multiple expenses.
While you may have hoped that your medical bills would require you to file bankruptcy, such debts can be discharged through a Chapter 7 filing. The relief that this may provide could be significant.
More information on handling medical debt can be found on our site.
