Madison, WI- Today, ABC for Health, Inc. releases a timely new resource, “Fighting Forward: Challenging Medical Debt.” “Medical Debt is often a result of our confusing and complex health insurance and public coverage programs,” says Bobby Peterson, Public Interest Attorney and Executive Director of ABC for Health, Inc.
“People get lost in the maze of programs and end up with unpaid, and often surprise medical bills. Sadly, medical debt creates individual and family stress at the worst times—when you or a family member are ill or recently suffered a medical situation.” In a time of a national pandemic and public health emergency, families should not be deciding between getting lifesaving treatment or medical debt. This free resource can help many families.
Today, ABC for Health releases its Fighting Forward resource where people can learn the steps and strategies that may help eliminate, reduce, or avoid current and future medical debt: https://safetyweb.org/healthwatchwi/medical-debt.html
Peterson continues, “People facing stress and confusion need informed help to navigate the many systems of care and health care coverage. Our direct patient and consumer advocacy with family members over the past 26 years provides the foundation for our Fighting Forward resource that outlines the steps to help people reduce existing medical debt and avoid future medical bills.” Medical bills will not just disappear if you ignore them. Instead, the debts simply pile up and could negatively affect your credit score and many other aspects of your life like your home, car, job, and more.
Dealing effectively with medical debt requires patience, knowledge and thinking ahead. ABC for Health’s web resources can help. “We need to shift our thinking about medical bills and debt, from an end game, collections business. We can use principles of prevention to help patients avoid certain medical debt before it even starts,” continues Peterson. “The Fighting Forward guide shows some basic steps to help understand the reasons for your medical debt and some of the health programs that might help cover some or even all of your bills. But remember to think ahead to help prevent unexpected bills in the first place. An ounce of prevention is worth avoiding pounds of piled high medical bills!” says Peterson.
ABC for Health, Inc., is a Wisconsin-based, nonprofit, public interest law firm dedicated to linking children and families, particularly those with special health care needs, to health care benefits and services. ABC for Health’s mission is to provide information, advocacy tools, legal services, and expert support needed to obtain, maintain, and finance health care coverage and services.
