Do you have a large medical bill that needs to be paid? If so, you probably have been tempted to just ignore it and not pay it. While that is definitely a choice you can make, it does come with some very grave consequences. Here are the main negative consequences that come if you don’t pay your medical bills.
Lots Of Calls
Medial providers go through extensive chargemaster training to help their bill collectors maximize their chances of getting paid. This means that the medical provider will be calling you, alot. Not only will you receive calls, sometimes daily, but anyone that may be attached to any assets you pay may also be contacted. Many people consider this to be harrassment, but medical providers are well within their rights to contact you until you make payment.
Destroys Buying Power
If you choose to ignore paying a medical bill, don’t plan on being able to buy anything large for several years. The main reason for this is that unpaid medical bills can count as lates on your credit report. If they remain unpaid, they can actually be turned into judgements where a judge can garnish wages in order to force the debts to be paid. A late on your credit report can lower your credit score by over 100 points. Judgements are even worse. If this happens, your credit rating will essentially be destroyed which means the ability to get a credit card, buy a car, or a house will be completely off the table.
As you can see, there are some pretty serious consequences for not paying your medical bills. Instead of not paying them, a simple call to your medical provide is all it takes to often get a payment plan set up which will not negatively affect your credit.