Significant medical bills can come at any age and when least expected. It is important to be financially responsible and prepared for unexpected medical bills. This generally means having health insurance, personal savings, and a health care savings account. The credit scores of 2 in 5 Americans are negatively affected by medical bills, and one in six credit reports contains a medical debt.

If you do receive a big hospital bill, you should (1) address it promptly; (2) work out an interest-free payment plan if necessary; (3) ask for a prompt payment discount; and (4) apply for financial assistance from the hospital, if necessary. By taking these steps, you will be more likely to prevent your medical debt from being sent to a third-party debt collection agency, having it reported to credit bureaus, and damaging your credit score.

In Georgia, as in many states, unexpected medical bills can have a significant impact on an individual's financial stability and credit score. To mitigate these effects, it is advisable for residents to maintain health insurance coverage, personal savings, and consider a health care savings account such as a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA). When faced with a large hospital bill, Georgia residents should act quickly to address the bill by contacting the hospital's billing department to negotiate payment terms. They can request an interest-free payment plan, inquire about prompt payment discounts, or apply for financial assistance programs that many hospitals offer. Taking these steps can help prevent medical debt from being transferred to a collection agency, which could lead to the debt being reported to credit bureaus and potentially damaging an individual's credit score. It's important to note that while these are general good practices, specific protections and regulations regarding medical billing and debt collection can vary, and an attorney can provide advice tailored to an individual's particular situation.