Is Bad Debt In Healthcare Inevitable?

It’s an interesting question since there is quite a lot of bad debt.  I’ve certainly believed the default hypothesis which is that people can’t afford their healthcare out-of-pocket costs, but I know I’ve had several instances where I had delayed payment due to misinformation or provider billing errors that I tried numerous times to get fixed.

McKinsey’s new research suggests that I’m the norm (i.e., most people would AND could pay their bills).

• 90% if <$500
• 74% if <$1000
• 62% if >$1000