When Medical Debt Collectors Decide Who Gets Arrested • Hacker News Board

Re: When Medical Debt Collectors Decide Who Gets Arrested

#11

Post by lonelappde » Sat, Oct 19, 2019, 4:50 PM UTC

bjornsing wrote: post #5

Clubber wrote: post #2

Highest prison population in the world by both per capita and total number, and people get thrown in jail because they can't pay their medical bills. How much more corrupt can this country get? What do we do when voting doesn't make a difference?

As I read the OP they get thrown in jail for not appearing in court. Isn’t that very different?

Why is your presence compelled in court?

Re: When Medical Debt Collectors Decide Who Gets Arrested

#12

Post by gravypod » Sat, Oct 19, 2019, 4:53 PM UTC

lonelappde wrote: post #11

bjornsing wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As I read the OP they get thrown in jail for not appearing in court. Isn’t that very different?

Why is your presence compelled in court?

That's how the American court system works. Someone can present information against you and, if you're not around to refute it, the judge is allowed to enter a default verdict.

Re: When Medical Debt Collectors Decide Who Gets Arrested

#13

Post by loceng » Sat, Oct 19, 2019, 4:55 PM UTC

hestipod wrote: post #3

My life was ruined by badly done, and even worse ultimately unneeded surgery. That privilege initially cost me many thousands, along with career and insurance going away, and the subsequent struggle to survive since has cost multiples of that. My entire future billed away. For a time I was able to avoid collectors because of a significant savings a frugal life had left me, but as time goes on you have to choose betwe…

Maybe post this on Reddit in /r/legaladvice - maybe there's a better subreddit - re: all of this? I have seen some seemingly helpful advice or links to resources that can help.

Re: When Medical Debt Collectors Decide Who Gets Arrested

#14

Post by lonelappde » Sat, Oct 19, 2019, 4:55 PM UTC

save_ferris wrote: post #4

Clubber wrote: post #2

Highest prison population in the world by both per capita and total number, and people get thrown in jail because they can't pay their medical bills. How much more corrupt can this country get? What do we do when voting doesn't make a difference?

Get involved. Support local and regional elected officials or candidates that share your views on healthcare, the progressive movement is growing rapidly in the US for this very reason. One of the biggest problems in American politics is that everyone is caught up in the blood sport that is Federal politics while not paying attention to what's going on in lower offices. Yes, healthcare is and will always be a Federal…

Sorry, but this is bullshit. When the government c disowns the basis for its legitimacy and starts teaming up with profiteers to imprison and kill people, the answer to fight back against violence with violence.

Re: When Medical Debt Collectors Decide Who Gets Arrested

#15

Post by mlevental » Sat, Oct 19, 2019, 4:55 PM UTC

bjornsing wrote: post #5

Clubber wrote: post #2

Highest prison population in the world by both per capita and total number, and people get thrown in jail because they can't pay their medical bills. How much more corrupt can this country get? What do we do when voting doesn't make a difference?

As I read the OP they get thrown in jail for not appearing in court. Isn’t that very different?

there's gotta be some name for this fallacy of "they didn't actually get hurt by the bad thing they got hurt by the good thing that props up the bad thing". maybe it should be called the banality of evil fallacy. I see it deployed on hn all the time and its tone is always patronizing - as if to say "if you would've followed the rules this wouldn't have happened". newsflash there are myriad tools healthcare institutions can deploy against you and jailing for missing a court date is just one - if you avoid that one they'll just do other things to extract from you. it's like no one has ever read kafka geeze.

Re: When Medical Debt Collectors Decide Who Gets Arrested

#16

Post by bhupy » Sat, Oct 19, 2019, 4:55 PM UTC

save_ferris wrote: post #4

Clubber wrote: post #2

Highest prison population in the world by both per capita and total number, and people get thrown in jail because they can't pay their medical bills. How much more corrupt can this country get? What do we do when voting doesn't make a difference?

Get involved. Support local and regional elected officials or candidates that share your views on healthcare, the progressive movement is growing rapidly in the US for this very reason. One of the biggest problems in American politics is that everyone is caught up in the blood sport that is Federal politics while not paying attention to what's going on in lower offices. Yes, healthcare is and will always be a Federal…

Why does healthcare have to be a federal issue?

Re: When Medical Debt Collectors Decide Who Gets Arrested

#17

Post by mlevental » Sat, Oct 19, 2019, 4:57 PM UTC

save_ferris wrote: post #4

Clubber wrote: post #2

Highest prison population in the world by both per capita and total number, and people get thrown in jail because they can't pay their medical bills. How much more corrupt can this country get? What do we do when voting doesn't make a difference?

Get involved. Support local and regional elected officials or candidates that share your views on healthcare, the progressive movement is growing rapidly in the US for this very reason. One of the biggest problems in American politics is that everyone is caught up in the blood sport that is Federal politics while not paying attention to what's going on in lower offices. Yes, healthcare is and will always be a Federal…

I agree with you but this isn't a local issue. famously healthcare is under the umbrella of the interstate commerce clause.

Re: When Medical Debt Collectors Decide Who Gets Arrested

#18

Post by true_religion » Sat, Oct 19, 2019, 4:59 PM UTC

geggam wrote: post #7

bjornsing wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As I read the OP they get thrown in jail for not appearing in court. Isn’t that very different?

If you dont have the money to pay bills how do you afford to get to court ? Being poor is illegal ;)

Court is just a building in town. If you are healthy, you can just walk there.

The bigger problem in this case is that the people being sent to court probably cannot easily walk there, because they are unhealthy.

It’s effectively criminalizing illness.

Re: When Medical Debt Collectors Decide Who Gets Arrested

#19

Post by wpdev_63 » Sat, Oct 19, 2019, 4:59 PM UTC

Obviously it goes without saying, shop around. Fly to another country if you have to. Canadian/Mexican doctors are more than happy to take cash and will often charge less than half what they charge here. Obviously there's medical problems you can't travel for but more often than not you can.

Also note that hospitals is one of the very few businesses that you have to get permission from other hospitals to open. It's a cartel.

Re: When Medical Debt Collectors Decide Who Gets Arrested

#20

Post by t34543 » Sat, Oct 19, 2019, 5:01 PM UTC

hestipod wrote: post #3

My life was ruined by badly done, and even worse ultimately unneeded surgery. That privilege initially cost me many thousands, along with career and insurance going away, and the subsequent struggle to survive since has cost multiples of that. My entire future billed away. For a time I was able to avoid collectors because of a significant savings a frugal life had left me, but as time goes on you have to choose betwe…

Take your savings and move out of the country.