Medical debt is a massive issue in the United States and Ohio is no exception. With a population of over 11 million, Ohio ranks in the top ten most inhabited states in the U.S. Almost 35% percent of Ohio adults struggle to pay their medical bills.
While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded access to health insurance, not everyone has coverage. Those without insurance often face much higher costs, leading to significant debt. The uninsured rate is at an all-time high as of 2018, and is one of only eight states to see this drastic climb. Almost 728,000 people in Ohio are no longer insured, which has resulted in massive medical debt.
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A collection agency can recover unpaid bills ethically using a diplomatic approach. They can offer fixed fee and contingency fee services as per your requirement. Your in-house staff will be able to focus on their core tasks rather than wasting time on old unpaid invoices.
Ohio Medical and Health Care Debt Collection Statistics
The Consumer Healthcare Experience State Survey gathered 1,000 Ohioans for more information on medical debt. Medical care costs have increased so much that some people choose not to seek medical help. 30% of those surveyed specifically put off going to the doctor. 24% skipped a recommended test or treatment and 35% struggled to pay off what medical bills they have acquired.
Ohio has been particularly hit hard by the opioid epidemic. Doctors have to grapple with the complexities of pain management, addiction, and mental health issues related to opioid use.
Even with a portion of the state population taking out loans or using credit cards to pay medical debt, a lot remains unpaid. These unsettled bills force medical professionals to seek out Ohio medical debt collection agencies to cover their necessary tools and staff costs.
Ohio Medical Debt Collection Agency Laws
In Ohio, there are a couple of laws concerning medical debt. Apart from the debt collection laws like FDCPA and HIPAA laws, a creditor (i.e. the healthcare professional or hospital) has a set amount of time they must abide by before they can pursue a debtor (i.e. the patient) for unpaid medical debt. This is known as the statute of limitations and it’s different for every state.
Ohio Revised Code section 2305.06 permits creditors to seek unpaid medical debt within 15 years from the default payment. This code is based on a written contract, so a medical bill can be seen under this stipulation. That means that a creditor has a window of 15 years to send their patients’ unpaid bills to an Ohio medical debt collection agency.
If a patient makes an oral agreement to repay their medical expenses, then the statute of limitations decreases significantly. In lieu of a written contract, the Ohio Revised Code section 2305.07 states that oral repayment agreements are valid for six years. A medical provider can bring their patient to action for not paying these medical bills anytime within that six-year time frame.
How This is Effecting Medical Professionals in Ohio
The constant hunt for medical repayment has put doctors and hospitals in a tough spot. According to Injury Claim Coach, “Federal law requires Medicare-approved hospitals to provide emergency medical treatment to anyone who needs it, even when the person doesn’t have health insurance.” Instead, medical professionals have to offer repayment options or give them various ways to pay for their medical treatment.
Many medical professionals in the U.S. have suffered salary decreases from the unstable medical debt situation that is sweeping across the nation. This could be why more students seek specialty medical courses rather than primary care. Doctors in specialty fields have the leverage to earn more than primary care physicians. As a result, Ohio is in the midst of a vast primary care doctor shortage. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “by 2025, Ohio is projected to be shy 1,200 primary care physicians.”
While Ohio scrambles to get more primary care doctors, the medical debt continues to pile on. Medical professionals (primary care doctors in particular) who are in need of debt relief may do well to seek help from a medical debt collection agency in Ohio.
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References:
https://www.healthpolicynews.org/daily_review/ohio_statistics/
https://www.dispatch.com/news/20190904/nine-years-later-i-still-owe-19000—ohioans-struggle-with-surprise-medical-bills