Proliferation of medical credit cards raise concerns about increasing medical debt
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is the agency tasked with protecting people from unfair and deceptive banking and credit practices. The agency recently asked for public input on the latest happenings in the consumer credit card market.
U.S. PIRG was quick to raise the alarm on the proliferation of “medical credit cards.” These relatively new financial products are offered in health care provider medical offices by front office staff. Patients worried about how they’ll pay for a procedure are offered an application for a “medical credit card.” Our comments to the federal agency pointed out that these so-called credit cards may offer no-interest for several months, but they are really not the deal they appear to be. High interest rates and costly late fees can end up just adding to patients existing medical debt.
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Authors
Patricia Kelmar
Senior Director, Health Care Campaigns, PIRG
Patricia directs the health care campaign work for U.S. PIRG and provides support to our state offices for state-based health initiatives. Her prior roles include senior director of health policy with the National Consumers League, senior policy advisor at NJ Health Care Quality Institute, and advocate at AARP and NJPIRG. She serves on the Ground Ambulance and Patient Billing Advisory Committee at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Patricia enjoys walks along the Potomac River and sharing her love of books with her friends and family around the world.
Find Out More
A bad deal: Why you don’t want (medical credit) cards in your hand
Patient protections needed from medical credit cards
PIRG’s comments on the FTC Health Breach Notification Rule
