Those who are struggling to pay medical bills in Arizona may be interested in a study showing that those who have credit card debt sometimes put off having medical care, which could slow their medical recovery or make their medical conditions worsen. In these tough economic times, people are charging a lot on their credit cards to just buy additional groceries to feed their families, so medical expenses get pushed to the bottom of the list.
According to a study performed by sociologists at the University of Michigan, the primary reason that 64% of those surveyed had not seen a doctor was because of their accrued credit card debt. 58% reported that they were already dealing with medical debt.
There could be serious consequences of foregoing additional medical care or putting medical care of until another day. This can be seen as a downward cycle; putting off medical treatment can influence productivity and inadvertently lower the amount of income, which is used to pay debt.
There are different kinds of debts, and those that are “good” may not have as much of an influence on medical spending as those considered “bad.” “Good” debts could be a person’s student loans, housing and car payments; these debts are often accepted by society. These types of debt can enhance a person’s chances of earning more money to pay off any other accrued debts. ‘Bad” debts can be considered those that are charged on credit cards. These debts typically have higher interest rates and are sometimes charged under moments of personal despair or emergency.
Just because someone is in debt does not mean they should have to forego medical care. A bankruptcy attorney may be able to assist those struggling with debt. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy could provide someone with the fresh start they are looking for so that important expenses, such as visiting a doctor or affording medicine, don’t get overlooked.
Source: Fox Business, “Credit Card Debt Causes People to Forgo Medical Care Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2013/05/15/study-credit-card-debt-causes-people-to-forgo-medical-care/#ixzz2UG2P4iUa”, Martin Merzer, May 21, 2013