November 4, 2019 — Report

Expenses for life-saving or medically necessary care are often unexpected, and can throw a family into an immediate financial crisis. This crisis is compounded when families cannot pay for these surprise expenses and the debt is reported to credit bureaus. The blemishes on a credit report (which employers and landlords as well as creditors may see) and the resulting lower credit scores can compromise a family’s long-term financial stability by making access to mainstream credit, housing, and even employment more difficult.