Why Seniors Do NOT Always Have to Pay Medical Bills

Are you swimming in medical debts and do not want to pay your medical bills? Even though many seniors are on Medicare, that doesn't mean they are free of medical bills. Even with Medicare, many seniors have doctor and hospital bills that they can't afford to pay. In this video, Attorney Eric Olsen, Executive Director of the HELPS Nonprofit Law Firm, explains why seniors struggling with debt shouldn't worry about medical bills and why they don't have to pay them.

Time Stamps
0:00 Introduction to Attorney Eric Olsen and his Medical Debt knowledge
1:12 What seniors need to know about Medical Debt
1:30 Your Social Security and more are protected by federal law
1:55 Seniors don’t need to spend Social Security on old debt they can’t afford to pay
2:17 Seniors’ bank accounts can be protected by federal law
3:01 What seniors with outstanding hospital bills should do
4:00 You could still get treated at a hospital even if you have unpaid hospital bills
5:20 Don’t pay for too much medical insurance on top of Medicare
5:55 A hospital can’t turn you away for emergency care for unpaid bills
6:08 If you pay your doctor something, no matter how small, your personal doctor won’t reject you
7:29 Pay your basic needs before paying medical bills
7:49 Probably not a good idea to put medical bills on a credit card
8:07 Don’t pay your medical bills ahead of time, not even a deposit
8:37 A medical debt could be turned over to a debt collector
9:17 Even if sued, income and bank accounts of low-income seniors are protected
10:22 Medicaid could help you with medical bills as well
11:08 Contact the HELPS Nonprofit Law Firm for more help with medical bills

As the Founder and Executive Director of the HELPS Nonprofit Law Firm, attorney Eric Olsen has helped thousands of seniors struggling with debts, including medical debt(#medicaldebt). The former bankruptcy attorney explains why low-income seniors shouldn't give up on the necessities in order to pay doctor bills, hospitals, and other medical debt(#medicaldebt).

Eric Olsen describes in detail how both seniors' Social Security benefits and their bank accounts are protected from garnishment, so debt collectors can't get at them. The lawyer explains the difference between for-profit and non-profit hospitals and how to apply for financial assistance. Hospitals cant turn you away for emergency care, as well as other types of care.

If you're broke, pay your personal physician a little each month. He recommends paying your personal physician a token amount, like ten dollars a month, to show that you're trying if you're struggling to make ends meet. He explains that he has never heard of a doctor turning you away if you’re trying to pay them something. Three are rules – including state rules -- in effect that protect people from hospitals even if they have an outstanding bill.
Hospitals get paid a lot of money from Medicare. Attorney Olsen explains why you shouldn't add lots of insurance if that leaves you with less than you need for necessities like food and rent. It doesn’t do a senior any good to pay a medical bill but not be able to afford food, medicine, or rent.
The attorney explains why you should almost never put medical bills on a credit card, explaining that you have to pay interest on a credit card but not usually for medical bills. Never pay a medical bill ahead of time. If you're a lower-income senior, you probably qualify for financial assistance. So don’t pre-pay a medical bill or pay a deposit upfront.
It’s possible that a medical debt (#medicaldebt) would be turned over to a debt collector, but that could make it easier to deal with. You simply say that you’re not going to pay it. If they sue you, your income and bank account is safe. The attorney reveals that he doesn’t often see seniors sued over medical bills.

Jeff Hoyt is SeniorLiving.org’s Editor-in-Chief.

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To contact the HELPS Nonprofit Law Firm, call 1-855-435-7787 or visit helpsishere.org.

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