A bad deal: Why you don’t want (medical credit) cards in your hand
Headlines amplify evidence of rising health care prices and families struggling to pay their medical bills. The financial industry offers their own solution: the medical credit card. But watch out.
Building and maintaining a good credit score helps you get credit and loans at the lowest interest rates, and also can affect your auto and homeowner's insurance rates and whether you can get a cellphone account or rent an apartment or house.
From negotiating with your provider to connecting with patient advocate departments to help you apply for a hospital financial assistance program, set up a no-interest repayment plan or lower your bill.