More in Minnesota have health coverage but still can't afford to be sick

In the past year, Minnesota’s main hospital and clinic groups filed nearly 9,000 lawsuits against people with large or long-standing medical debts — a sharp increase since 2005, according to a Star Tribune analysis of court records.

Once a leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the United States, medical debt was widely expected to decline as more Americans got health insurance following federal health reform. Instead, shifts in the insurance market are pushing more people toward high-deductible policies that can require them to pay as much as $7,500 before any insurance benefits kick in.

To ensure strong patient satisfaction and prevent these lawsuits, hospitals and groups need to provide estimates to patients prior to their medical visit, procedures and tests. Patients will contine to take on more of the financial risk of healthcare.

http://www.startribune.com/more-minnesotans-have-health-coverage-but-still-can-t-afford-to-get-sick/318545021/