Has Medical Debt Put Uninsured Kansans at Risk for Financial Ruin?

Posted on March 10, 2015 at 12:00pm by

Several years after the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), many in Kansas are still without health insurance, leaving them vulnerable to high healthcare costs. Under the ACA, the federal government offered to help pay Medicaid costs for states to cover lower-income individuals who would have been unable to afford health insurance policies. Kansas was one of many states that rejected Medicaid funds from the federal government, leaving many lower-income Kansans uninsured.

Gallup polls report that 14.4 percent of Kansas lacked health insurance coverage in 2014, an almost two percent increase from 2013. Unfortunately, being uninsured carries devastating financial risks. Healthcare costs become immensely expensive without insurance coverage.

Looking at emergency room visits provides a clearer picture of the problem. Depending on the severity of the injury and the services required to treat it, ER visits can range from $500 to $20,000 without insurance. For an individual at or below the Kansas average income of $27,000, monthly payments of several hundred dollars can quickly become unaffordable.

Can I Get Rid of My Medical Debt Through Chapter 13 Bankruptcy?

Fortunately, people who find that they are unable to pay their medical bills and are tired of the constant harassment from collection agencies have options to start over. Depending on the circumstances, a person can file for a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Chapter 13 bankruptcies can allow people drowning in medical debt to restructure payment plans, assign a trustee to handle creditors and avoid wage garnishment.

We encourage our readers to visit our Facebook and Twitter pages to learn more about our law firm and bankruptcy solutions. The Sader Law Firm helps individuals and businesses file for Chapter 7, Chapter 11 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

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