Article written by Columbia, SC bankruptcy lawyer Daniel Stone
Medical bills are one of the top reasons for individuals filing for bankruptcy in South Carolina and around the country. In fact, Harvard did a recent study in which they discovered medical reasons account for nearly two-thirds of all bankruptcy filings. Harvard Medical Study. The study found that most of the bankruptcy filers with medical problems had health insurance.
The good news is that all medical debts can be discharged in bankruptcy court as long as the person qualifies for a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Medical debts are unsecured debts unless the medical creditor has obtained a judgment. In my experience, most medical creditors do not seek judgements but try to seek payments through other collection methods. One of the newest collection methods in South Carolina for medical debts is the Gear Program. This program allows hospitals to collect on their medical debts by seizing individuals South Carolina tax refunds. If you think your South Carolina tax refund may be seized, please come see me immediately and a bankruptcy filing can prevent the medical creditor from seizing your tax refund.