Medical Debt
The #1 cause of US bankruptcy, demystified
Why medical bills are often wrong, the financial assistance hospitals must offer, your federal surprise-billing protections, and the special credit rules.
4 lessons · about 26 minutes total · 100% free
Saved on this device only — no account needed.
1. Why medical bills are often wrong
A medical bill is a first draft. Learn to get the itemized version, read the codes, and catch the duplicate charges, quantity errors and upcoding that hide in the total.
7 min read
2. Financial assistance and charity care
Nonprofit hospitals must offer financial assistance by law. Learn the 501(r) rules, sliding-scale charity care, the 240-day application window, and how to check where your income falls.
7 min read
3. The No Surprises Act and your protections
The No Surprises Act bans most surprise out-of-network bills. Learn what it covers, the ground-ambulance gap, the Good Faith Estimate, and how to dispute a bill $400 over it.
6 min read
4. Negotiating, settling, and medical collections
How to cut an accurate bill with the cash price, a 0% plan or a settlement, and what medical collections do to your credit under the bureaus' current policies.
6 min read