Worries About Healthcare Credit Scores

Reader Comments
Back to blog

I'm speaking as a low income person who pays their bills on time and has good credit. I don't make a lot of money but budget my money carefully and put money aside in case there is an emergency. I make less than 35K a year and have no debt on my credit cards because I keep my spending resonable. Those people who have horrible credit scores and spend outside of what they can afford are becoming very prevelant in our society. Placing the burden on the government to cover health care will assist a lot of people but just because your poor doesn't mean you can't have good credit. Asking somone to treat you for free isunreasonable, just as unreasonable as asking somoene you meet randomly on the street to pay your credit card bills or take you on a shopping spree. Hospitals have a bottom line just like businesses do and just because they are forced to treat somone despite their insurance coverage doesn't mean that people shouldn't be expeted to pay or be hassled when you don't make any payment at all. Think about how our lives would be if your local hospital closed because people don't pay their bills. Can your bleeding child wait the extra 20 minute drive to the next hospital? I don't need pity or charity. I don't make much but I pay my bills on time and so should everyone else. Live within your means and you'll be able to handle a small monthly payment to the hospital. It may take years but at least you aren't taking advantage of a system that is required to treat you.

of MD 3:59PM April 14, 2008

We, the people in the US, need universal health care funded by our taxes. The administration can spend billions on wars initiated by it. Our health is more important than killing people in foreign countries.

of WV 2:29PM April 12, 2008

A friend of mine was hit by a car while crossing the street a couple of months back and I got to see first hand how someone who does not have medical insurance and the ability to pay is treated differently than someone who can. After being taken into the emergency room, things were going fine until they started asking him about financing and paying for the care. When he said he didn't have insurance and really couldn't afford it but would try to work something out, all the staff essentially evaporated (the emergency room was very quiet this day, so it didn't appear to be other patients). One individual came back a bit later and was trying to wiggle some sort of a "down payment" out of him.
I get chills when I think of a FICO score for health care that will determine what they'll do with you prior to even speaking to you.

Jeremy of WA 2:26PM April 11, 2008

This is happening to my parents currently, it does happen more than the system is willing to admit. It is something we need to protect all people from. Treatment should never be withheld from an individual if there is need for care, it is inhumane. The deciding factor should be if there is an actual need, not just a want or desire! People also need to be responsible for they bills as incurred, but also need to be informed of those costs up front. You can't put a blindfold on someone and then blame them for crashing the car, everyone needs to be informed and responsible. Maybe if more people would consider universal healthcare, this discussion wouldn't even need to be had?

Melissa S. of MI 1:27PM April 11, 2008