What Happens If You Don’t Pay Hospital Bill Costs You Owe?

What happens if you don't pay hospital bills and expenses? This article will thoroughly explain what can happen if you don’t pay a hospital bill and discuss ways to take care of your medical expenses, even if you can’t afford them now.

Medical debt can be overwhelming, so we'll discuss the negative consequences of unpaid medical bills and share how you can find financial assistance in times of urgent need.

Please keep reading to discover the dangers of medical debt and how to get emergency assistance to address any unpaid medical debt.

Here's What Can Happen If You Have Unpaid Medical Debt

So, your family member has wound up at the hospital, racking up a massive bill in the process. What happens if you don't pay the hospital bills associated with the care? Four things will likely happen: you get late fees, a collection agency will keep calling you, your credit score can suffer, and you can be sued.

1. Late Fees

As with any other bill, you will be charged a late fee whenever you miss your due date. If you are already struggling to pay your hospital bill, the last thing you want is to add even more money. Postponing a payment by one month may be a minor deal, but postponing it for a long time can be catastrophic to your budget.

Luckily, some states have made adding late fees illegal for medical providers. Check out the regulations based on where you live to learn if hospitals near year can limit late fees. You should be able to find out the late fee policy by looking at the hospital's terms of service.

2. The Collection Agency May Keep Contacting You

If you have not settled your debt for a while, the healthcare provider might call a collection agency. A collection agency won’t bother you if you are only a couple of days late, but many collection agencies become involved once the payment is three months after the due date.

3. Your Credit Score Will Drop

Your credit score will suffer when you don’t pay your hospital bill. Because hospital bills are considered debt, they will be reflected on your score. You will have 180 days to pay off your debt once it goes into collection. After 180 days, the Credit Bureau will report the payment as past due, causing your credit score to drop.

Medical debt often remains on credit reports for a long time. Sometimes, medical debt remains there for seven years.

4. You Can Be Sued

The healthcare provider can take you to court in a worst-case scenario. More specifically, you will be sued for your unpaid bill. As for the punishment, the court will decide. Most often, courts decide to utilize wage garnishment for unpaid medical bills. Wage garnishment is whenever money is automatically taken off your income until you repay your debt.

It’s important to note that even though a healthcare provider can sue you, you can’t go to jail for not paying a medical bill. That being said, you can go to jail if you intentionally ignore the court order. So, go to court if you’re being sued, but don’t worry about going to jail.

How To Pay Medical Bills You Can’t Afford

What happens if you don't pay hospital bills and expenses? Is there something you can do to avoid the consequences?

If you are concerned about your medical debt and don’t want to add more interest or fees, you can use short-term loans to pay the medical bill. Same-day title loans and installment loans are two viable options you may want to consider.

How Can Same-Day Title Loans Help With Unpaid Bills?

Same-day title loans use your lien-free car title as collateral. This means that your car’s value will determine the loan amount, and the car’s title will have a lien. With Missouri Title Loans, Inc., you can get up to $15,000; the process can take as little as 30 minutes.

Here's how our fast tile loan process works:

1. Complete our online inquiry form.
2. Our friendly loan representative will reach out to discuss our simple title loan process and review the requirements.
3. You can set up a time to meet the loan representative at a convenient location.
4. Bring the following requirements to the meeting for the vehicle inspection: Your driver’s license, a lien-free car title in your name, and the car in question.
5. After the vehicle inspection, the agent will confirm your eligibility and determine your emergency loan amount. 
6. If approved, you'll receive your emergency cash that day or the following business day. 

How Can Installment Loans Help With Unpaid Debt?

Consider installment loans as well. Installment loans can afford you up to $1500. With one of these loans, you will repay the loan through fixed installments.

Installment loans can be a good option for borrowers who do not own their car outright. Here's how our quick installment loan process works:

1. Complete our online application form.
2. Our trusted loan representative will arrange a time to meet and review your required items: Your driver's license, a bank statement from an active checking account in your name, and proof of income (your most recent pay stub.) 
3. Once our loan agent receives your information, they'll determine your eligibility for emergency funding. 
4. If approved, you can receive your money that day or the following business day.

Take Care Of Your Medical Bill Today!

What happens if you don't pay hospital bills and expenses? You will be charged more fees, visited by a collection agency, have a lower credit score, and possibly be sued. Even though you cannot go to jail for an unpaid medical bill, the consequences are still severe.

If you need help paying off your medical bills, Missouri Title Loans, Inc. can help you through same-day title and online installment loans. Please get in touch with us today to take care of your bill by filling out a short inquiry on our website.

Note: The content provided in this article is only for informational purposes, and you should contact your financial advisor about your specific financial situation.