Also in 2005, researchers at Harvard University completed a study that found that 50 percent of all bankruptcy filings were partly the result of medical expenses. The average out-of-pocket medical debt for those who filed for bankruptcy was $12,000 and that 68 percent of those who filed for bankruptcy had health insurance. The study concluded that every 30 seconds in the United States, someone files for bankruptcy in the aftermath of a serious health problem.
Angry Bear: Who has “bad credit” when a million Americans file for bankruptcy?.
I had intuited this, but have no real evidence. It is heart wrenching to see families that could have had a much better life except for the ravages of medical expenses.
Sadly most families even those in the Philippines middle class can barely afford one time costly medical procedures let alone conditions which require prolonged treatment .