Airing on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt on September 14, 2024, and running in NBC News and its syndicates, Berneta Haynes interviews with Gretchen Morgenson for coverage of the medical debt crisis and Atrium Health’s aggressive pursuit to collect debts. Medical debt is a “problem that is uniquely American,” said Berneta Haynes, senior attorney at…
To improve access to healthcare for people leaving incarceration, CMS is proposing to change the definition of “custody” for the purposes of Medicare eligibility rules and the Medicare special enrollment period (SEP) for formerly incarcerated individuals. These changes would now expand Medicare eligibility to people on parole, probation, or home detention, resulting in improved access…
This National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) report provides an overview of the carceral medical debt problem and policy recommendations and solutions to address the issue. The report provides background on the nature of carceral medical debt, including the complex healthcare needs of people who are incarcerated, what fees are assessed and why, how these fees…
This tip sheet for advocates was created to accompany a webinar hosted by the National Center on Law & Elder Rights on nursing home debt collection against residents, family members, and other third parties. While most older adults rely on Medicare and Medicaid to help pay for their care, these programs often come with significant…
Read More about NCLER Tip Sheet: Nursing Home Debt Collection: Issues and Defense
In a segment airing on August 21 on NPR Shots & appearing in KFF Health News, Tony Leys interviews NCLC senior attorney Berneta Haynes for a story about disputing bogus medical bills. Debt collectors often seek summary judgment, which allows them to garnish wages or take other measures to seize money without going to the…
Originally appearing on CBS News on August 14, 2024, Anna Warner interviews NCLC Senior Attorney Chi Chi Wu for a discussion about medical credit cards, which have been increasing in popularity as a way for patients to pay for expenses like hearing, vision, dentistry and even hospital services. Consumer advocates warn that some of these…
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