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Article: Medical Bills Play Bankruptcy Role
- Article from:
- AP Online
- Article date:
- April 26, 2000
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Associated Press. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Associated Press. (Hide copyright information)
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MARCY GORDON, AP Business Writer
AP Online
04-26-2000
Medical Bills Play Bankruptcy Role
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The elderly may have huge medical debts because of declining health or the medical bills of a failing or deceased spouse.
For younger Americans, the bills may pile up because of child health expenses. Either way, a new study says disastrous medical bills play a significant role in personal bankruptcies, accounting for about 40 percent of the filings last year.
About 500,000 Americans filed for bankruptcy protection in 1999 at least in part because of heavy medical expenses, according to the study to be published next month in a specialized journal.
The financial misfortune can befall ...