Economic Activism and Progressive Living

sandensea

(22,850 posts) Tue Feb 11, 2020, 10:06 PM Feb 2020

Dad in Kansas jailed over medical debt

Heather and her son Lane Biggs just needed medical care. A few years ago, Lane was getting treated for leukemia, which he was diagnosed with at age 5, and at the same time, his mom Heather developed seizures from Lyme disease.

That left the family with a $70,000 medical debt that they couldn’t afford.

They didn’t make enough to afford health insurance, but they made too much to qualify for Medicaid.

After he missed a court appearance about his unpaid bills and was unable to get the money for the $500 bail, Tres was sent to jail.

At: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/dad-kansas-jailed-over-medical-140050030.html

4 replies

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Highlight:

Dad in Kansas jailed over medical debt (Original Post) sandensea Feb 2020 OP

Making America Dickensian Again klook Feb 2020 #1

It's a fine point but he was jailed for contempt or failure to appear. TomSlick Feb 2020 #2

This is inundating and burying someone with impossible Catch 22 situations. magicarpet Feb 2020 #3

Post removed Post removed Jun 2020 #4

klook

(12,884 posts)

1. Making America Dickensian Again

Reply to sandensea (Original post)

Tue Feb 11, 2020, 10:17 PM

Feb 2020

Bob Cratchit with His Son Tiny Tim, by Jessie Willcox-Smith

Let’s bring back debtors’ prison, Yay!

TomSlick

(11,885 posts)

2. It's a fine point but he was jailed for contempt or failure to appear.

Reply to sandensea (Original post)

Tue Feb 11, 2020, 10:18 PM

Feb 2020

The problem is that the medical providers in Kansas require judgment debtors to appear in court periodically to explain why they cannot pay the judgment. They are putting judgment debtors to the election of missing work - which they obviously cannot afford - or go to jail and miss more work.

Either way, this needs the attention of the federal courts.

magicarpet

(16,501 posts)

3. This is inundating and burying someone with impossible Catch 22 situations.

Reply to sandensea (Original post)

Tue Feb 11, 2020, 10:45 PM

Feb 2020

No solutions no escape hatches.

Response to sandensea (Original post)

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