

Why I Filed for Bankruptcy at 25, and What I Learned

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Aflac, to share my personal experience with insurance and medical debt. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Can you afford a medical emergency?… The average cost of a heart attack and the care needed to recover is $65,427, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. A broken leg costs around $10,000. Some cancer medications can cost upwards of $10,000 per month. Add those up, and it’s no surprise that medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy is this country. I know from experience that even with insurance, the bills add up quickly, and can become overwhelming. Because it’s not even just the medical bills – it’s also the money you lose if you aren’t able to work for awhile. Many people believe that if they have health insurance, they’ll be ok if a health crisis hits – but do you have a real idea of what out of pocket costs will be if someone in your family gets sick or injured? I didn’t. And that’s what led to me filing for bankruptcy at the young age of just 25.

How to avoid medical debt [Read more…]