What do you think about the growing trend of hospitals issuing their own credit cards? seems to me that it just compounds the debt issues facing young adults and others who have medical issues.
What do you think about the growing trend of hospitals issuing their own credit cards? seems to me that it just compounds the debt issues facing young adults and others who have medical issues.
I am disgusted by the trend of hospitals issuing credit cards to patients. It is a fast way for them to make sure they get payment, keep bills out of collections, and turn patients' medical debt quickly into credit card debt. (See my #3 big no, no) Hospitals should be in the healing business and not the banking business. Instead of becoming conduits for high interest lending, hospitals should be advocating on behalf of patients to cut health care costs.
I am disgusted by the trend of hospitals issuing credit cards to patients. It is a fast way for them to make sure they get payment, keep bills out of collections, and turn patients' medical debt quickly into credit card debt. (See my #3 big no, no) Hospitals should be in the healing business and not the banking business. Instead of becoming conduits for high interest lending, hospitals should be advocating on behalf of patients to cut health care costs.
Your suggestion is one being considered by a handful of young adult cancer patients who I am in contact with who can no longer manage their personal economic cancer conundrum.
My book Everything Changes: The Insider's Guide to Cancer in Your 20s and 30s is distributed in Canada as well. I get a lot of reader emails from Canadian patients who are shocked by what their U.S. counterparts have to contend with in order to receive treatment.
Your suggestion is one being considered by a handful of young adult cancer patients who I am in contact with who can no longer manage their personal economic cancer conundrum.
My book Everything Changes: The Insider's Guide to Cancer in Your 20s and 30s is distributed in Canada as well. I get a lot of reader emails from Canadian patients who are shocked by what their U.S. counterparts have to contend with in order to receive treatment.
Let me put this way: poor people will always be in debt, no matter what. That is how the system is built and that is how it will stya because the leaders have no advantage from offering free medical care to poor people. Quality medical care is something that only rich people can afford.
Thanks for your comment. I think that leaders do have one advantage from offering free medical care to poor people; votes. There are millions of people in this country in medical debt, who if they organized well enough, could vote leaders out of office for not providing health coverage to all Americans. This is a real political option. Groups of constituents gain power all of the time by flexing their voting muscle. Unfortunately, patient advocacy organizations have not done all they can to organize people w/ medical debt into the powerful group that we can be.
I agree that for the most part, quality medical care is something that only rich people can afford. Which is unjust in a country as great as the United States. But I have met some very low-income young cancer patients who have had received fantastic top-notch medical care through government programs at no cost to them. This care should be extended not only for those who are already extremely impoverished, but to low to moderate income people who will become impoverished because of medical bills.
Monica O'Brien is the Director of Digital at Fizz and author of the book Social Pollination, which helps businesses leverage social media for crazy growth!
"There's no sugar coating in Monica's advice. She understands and outlines what works and doesn't, while she also leaves room to discuss the transient nature of social media."
Grace Boyle, Publisher Services Manager at Lijit
Monica O'Brien is the Director of Digital at Fizz and author of the book Social Pollination, which helps businesses leverage social media for crazy growth!
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Great post!
What do you think about the growing trend of hospitals issuing their own credit cards? seems to me that it just compounds the debt issues facing young adults and others who have medical issues.
Great post!
What do you think about the growing trend of hospitals issuing their own credit cards? seems to me that it just compounds the debt issues facing young adults and others who have medical issues.
I am disgusted by the trend of hospitals issuing credit cards to patients. It is a fast way for them to make sure they get payment, keep bills out of collections, and turn patients' medical debt quickly into credit card debt. (See my #3 big no, no) Hospitals should be in the healing business and not the banking business. Instead of becoming conduits for high interest lending, hospitals should be advocating on behalf of patients to cut health care costs.
I am disgusted by the trend of hospitals issuing credit cards to patients. It is a fast way for them to make sure they get payment, keep bills out of collections, and turn patients' medical debt quickly into credit card debt. (See my #3 big no, no) Hospitals should be in the healing business and not the banking business. Instead of becoming conduits for high interest lending, hospitals should be advocating on behalf of patients to cut health care costs.
You can always try moving to Canada we have free medical insurance here or subsidized tuition fees.
You can always try moving to Canada we have free medical insurance here or subsidized tuition fees.
Roman,
Your suggestion is one being considered by a handful of young adult cancer patients who I am in contact with who can no longer manage their personal economic cancer conundrum.
My book Everything Changes: The Insider's Guide to Cancer in Your 20s and 30s is distributed in Canada as well. I get a lot of reader emails from Canadian patients who are shocked by what their U.S. counterparts have to contend with in order to receive treatment.
Thanks for your comment.
Kairol
Roman,
Your suggestion is one being considered by a handful of young adult cancer patients who I am in contact with who can no longer manage their personal economic cancer conundrum.
My book Everything Changes: The Insider's Guide to Cancer in Your 20s and 30s is distributed in Canada as well. I get a lot of reader emails from Canadian patients who are shocked by what their U.S. counterparts have to contend with in order to receive treatment.
Thanks for your comment.
Kairol
Great work Monica !! I will surely follow your tips.Thanks for sharing.
Great work Monica !! I will surely follow your tips.Thanks for sharing.
Let me put this way: poor people will always be in debt, no matter what. That is how the system is built and that is how it will stya because the leaders have no advantage from offering free medical care to poor people. Quality medical care is something that only rich people can afford.
Hi Samantha,
Thanks for your comment. I think that leaders do have one advantage from offering free medical care to poor people; votes. There are millions of people in this country in medical debt, who if they organized well enough, could vote leaders out of office for not providing health coverage to all Americans. This is a real political option. Groups of constituents gain power all of the time by flexing their voting muscle. Unfortunately, patient advocacy organizations have not done all they can to organize people w/ medical debt into the powerful group that we can be.
I agree that for the most part, quality medical care is something that only rich people can afford. Which is unjust in a country as great as the United States. But I have met some very low-income young cancer patients who have had received fantastic top-notch medical care through government programs at no cost to them. This care should be extended not only for those who are already extremely impoverished, but to low to moderate income people who will become impoverished because of medical bills.