Bankruptcy Law, Credit, Debt Relief, Timothy Kingcade Posts

Late Night Comedian John Oliver Makes ‘TV History’ by forgiving $15 million in Medical Debt

Nearly 9,000 consumers were relieved of their medical bills courtesy of HBO host John Oliver. As part of a segment examining the unscrupulous practices of debt purchasers on his show, “Last Week Tonight,” he forgave nearly $15 million in medical debt for consumers.

Oliver’s show engages in a form of investigative comedy, this time examining an overlooked industry.  Institutions often sell their debt for pennies on the dollar to companies who then attempt to collect on the bills. These companies operate with little regulation and sometimes employ abusive collection practices to intimidate people into paying.

The show set up its own company to acquire $15 million worth of debt owed to hospitals in Texas, paying only $60,000 for the debt. Oliver described how “disturbingly easy” it was to set up the company; they called it Central Asset Recovery Professionals, and incorporated it in Mississippi to make the purchase.

The consumer’s medical debts ranged from $50 to more than $250,000. Since the debts were incurred in Texas hospitals, most of the people who owe money are from the state, Oliver said.

Oliver went on to say, people who owe bills should pay them but should not be forced to choose between paying medical debts and paying for food and shelter. He said people should never use credit cards to pay off medical debts.

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Those who have experienced illness or injury and found themselves overwhelmed with medical debt should contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney. In bankruptcy, medical bills are considered general unsecured debts just like credit cards. This means that medical bills do not receive priority treatment and can easily be discharged in bankruptcy. Bankruptcy laws were created to help people resolve overwhelming debt and gain a fresh financial start. Bankruptcy attorney Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws to protect their assets and get successful results. Since 1996 Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. has been helping people from all walks of life build a better tomorrow. Our attorneys’ help thousands of people every year take advantage of their rights under bankruptcy protection to restart, rebuild and recover. The day you hire our firm, we will contact your creditors to stop the harassment. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.