Problem:
“I live in San Antonio Texas. I owe about ,000 in medical bills that I’m yet to pay off. I haven’t been able to make payments for about 6 months. So, they have now gone to collections and I get calls for payment everyday at least twice. I would like to pay them off but do not have enough funds. Is it possible to go for medical bill consolidation in order to pay off my debts? I have a credit score of 590. Would that be affected if I seek consolidation?” getting out of debt.
Solution:
Medical bills can be a matter of serious concern since they may come up unexpectedly and disrupt your financial plan or the budget that you’ve prepared. Sometimes, your health insurance may not cover certain medical conditions for which you need to pay an amount out-of-pocket. If you have multiple medical bills, then you may consolidate them into a single monthly payment. However, before doing so, you must check out the factors favoring medical bill consolidation. Find more information here
Tips to follow in medical bill consolidation
Consolidation is a good idea when you have multiple medical bills to pay off. By consolidating your medical bills, you can lower your debt burden by making single monthly payments towards clearing your existing dues. However, you should assess your financial condition and also consider the following factors before you take recourse to consolidation.
1. Lower rate: If you want to take out a consolidation loan, then look for one that has a lower rate of interest over a good loan term. This will help you to repay your loan quickly and also you won’t have to carry the debt burden for long.
2. Analyze your finances: Make sure that you have enough funds to make your regular monthly payments. You must not default on your payments as otherwise your credit score may suffer more.
3. Improve your credit score: Unpaid medical bills can adversely affect your credit score when they’re sent to collections. In such a situation, consolidating to pay them off would be a good idea. If you already have low scores, it is not a good idea to keep unpaid medical bills.
You can negotiate with your medical service providers/collection agency on your own or take professional help if required. To take professional help, you may enroll yourself in a debt consolidation Phoenix program and pay off your medical bills in a systematic way.
Besides consolidation, you may also seek other debt relief options. Going for a credit counseling session is a good idea. If required, the counselor may enroll you in a debt management plan by following which you can pay off your dues and become debt free.
If you have a huge amount to pay back, then you may also try to settle your medical dues. Before you attempt negotiation with your medical service provider/collection agency, make sure you have enough funds to clear your dues. Save as much money as you would like to negotiate for and then approach the medical provider/collection agency. In most cases, the service providers or collection agencies don’t agree to a reduced payoff amount in the first go. However, you should maintain patience, explain your financial situation and try to convince them by saying that you’ve no other option left than to file a medical bankruptcy if they don’t agree to a reduced payoff amount.
Jason Holmes is a regular writer with Debt Consolidation Care and is also a contributory writer with other financial sites. His expertise is woven around various aspects of the debt industry and with his e-books he tries to impart to people the different situations and simple solutions to get out of difficult situations. Some of his works include e-books like ‘Credit Score The Quintessential Therapy for a Happy Pocket’, Take Creditors and Collection Agencies to Small Claims Court’ and, My Story- From Depression To a Smile’.
