Credit Card and Debt Statistics Database
by Scott Bilker |
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Borrowing to Stay Healthy |
| Low- and middle-income households with medical debt carried an average $11,623 of credit card debt, compared with $7,964 for those without medical debts on their credit cards. Twenty-nine percent of low- and middle-income households with credit card debt said medical expenses contributed to their current balances. Within that group, 69 percent had a major medical expense in the previous three years. Young adults, age 18 to 34, had the highest level of average credit card debt among those with medical debts--$13,303. Young adults without medical debts had an average credit card balance of $7,450. Consumers with medical debts are more likely to be called by bill collectors than those without medical debts--62 percent compared with 38 percent. Consumers with medical debt are more likely to forgo health care because of the cost, the report added. |
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Categories: |
Credit Cards,Health,Medical Bills,Debt,Family |
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Reporting Pub: |
Kansas City Star |
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Reporting Date: |
1/17/2007 |
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Article
Title: |
Report: People who charge health-care expenses getting in debt trouble |
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Article
Author: |
Julius A. Karash |
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Pub's Source: |
AccessProject.com Report |
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Source
URL: |
View details from source |
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