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 Rhode Island, as in other states, unexpected medical bills can pose a significant financial challenge. To mitigate this risk, individuals are encouraged to maintain health insurance coverage, personal savings, and contribute to health care savings accounts such as HSAs or FSAs. When faced with a large hospital bill, Rhode Island residents should act quickly to address the bill by contacting the hospital's billing department to discuss payment options. Many hospitals offer interest-free payment plans, prompt payment discounts, or financial assistance programs for those who qualify. 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 federal laws like the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have provisions to help with the cost of health care, state laws may also provide additional protections against aggressive debt collection practices and ensure that hospitals have charity care policies in place.