Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumBernie Sanders Introduces Plan to Cancel $81 Billion in Medical Debt
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The very concept of medical debt should not exist, Sanders said in a statement. In the wealthiest country in the history of the world, one illness or disease should not ruin a familys financial life and future.
Medical debt is a significant economic burden on millions of Americans and though there is an academic debate over exactly how many bankruptcies are directly attributable to it, health care expenses are the largest single causes of bankruptcies nationwide. According to a 2014 report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, half of all debt reported to credit agencies is medical debt, and one out of every five credit reports contains unpaid medical debt. Its also a seriousthough hard to measurehazard to peoples health. A 2018 study from West Health and Gallup found that a quarter of all Americans had skipped a medical treatment due to cost.
Under Sanders plan, the government would negotiate and pay off $81 billion in unpaid medical bills that have been sold to collection agencies and are currently harming peoples credit reports. His plan would also limit the notorious tactics debt collectors engage in when they track people down and hound them to collect on the debts they have purchased. If implemented, the plan might also come well under its $81 billion price tag as debt sold to debt collectors is worth only a fraction of the original bill.
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Finally, the proposal would stop medical debt from impacting peoples credit scores. Sanders would create a federal credit registry to rival and ultimately replace credit agencies like Equifax, and medical debt would not be factored into anyones score. Credit scores also systematically perpetuate gaps in wealth and inequality between white and minority consumers, the plan states. We will establish a public registry that will end racial biases in credit scores and ensure those with medical debt are not penalized for the crime of getting sick.
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https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/09/bernie-sanders-medical-debt-plan/
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
RandySF
(57,628 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Uncle Joe
(58,111 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
RandySF
(57,628 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Uncle Joe
(58,111 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
ecstatic
(32,566 posts)Bernie is my 25th choice.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
democratisphere
(17,235 posts)Then there wouldn't be so much debt!
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
ecstatic
(32,566 posts)desperate and dishonest. Sanders should not promise something like this unless he's sure he can deliver the goods. So far he's promising to forgive student loans, medical debt, and to provide free housing and healthcare. It all sounds great, but he needs to show how he would get this done.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
JudyM
(29,122 posts)Sanders goals are matched by plans... no need to assume/attribute negative motives...
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
question everything
(47,264 posts)Are you so sure that all of them are filthy rich who can lose what is owed to them?
Will providers, then, demand payment upon service? You are wheeled into the emergency room with a heart attack, or a bullet hole - payment first.
At least take a close look at the individual debt. Or, are you going to use tax payers money to pay? How generous you are, with your millions at our expense.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Uncle Joe
(58,111 posts)(snip)
Under Sanders plan, the government would negotiate and pay off $81 billion in unpaid medical bills that have been sold to collection agencies and are currently harming peoples credit reports. His plan would also limit the notorious tactics debt collectors engage in when they track people down and hound them to collect on the debts they have purchased. If implemented, the plan might also come well under its $81 billion price tag as debt sold to debt collectors is worth only a fraction of the original bill.
(snip)
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/09/bernie-sanders-medical-debt-plan/
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided