Your Money or Your Life: Debt Collection in American Medicine

The book "Your Money or Your Life" explores the aggressive medical debt collection industry in America, revealing its profound financial and physical costs to patients and eroding trust in medicine. It highlights the multibillion-dollar industry and how everyday Americans are forced to pay the price. By weaving patient stories into a history of law, finance, and medicine, the book shows how debt and debt collection are destroying the foundational trust between doctors and patients. The fight to stop aggressive collection tactics has brought together people from all political spectrums, but understanding how we got here is essential to better protecting the sick from financial ruin.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 28 November 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

A compelling investigation into the pervasive issue of medical debt collection in America, shedding light on the profound financial and physical toll it imposes on patients and eroding their trust in the medical profession.

For the unfortunate circumstance of falling ill without the means to afford healthcare, Americans today face a relentless onslaught of legal actions, wage garnishment, home foreclosure, and even incarceration. However, it is crucial to ascertain who truly benefits from the aggressive pursuit of medical debt collection and the impact it has on patients and healthcare providers responsible for their care.

In his book, "Your Money or Your Life," emergency physician and historian Luke Messac delves into the origins and evolution of medical debt collection into a multibillion-dollar industry. Through the intertwining of patient narratives with a comprehensive history of law, finance, and medicine, Messac exposes how debt and debt collection are undermining the fundamental trust between doctors and patients, at the very core of American healthcare.

The fight against aggressive collection tactics has brought together individuals from diverse political backgrounds, united in their determination to safeguard the sick from financial ruin. However, to truly address this pressing issue, it is essential to explore the underlying factors that led to the current state of affairs.

"Your Money or Your Life" challenges readers to reevaluate the purpose and efficacy of our modern healthcare system and asks us to consider who it truly serves. With a blend of wit and clarity, the book prompts us to examine the systemic flaws and explore alternative approaches that prioritize the well-being of patients and promote a more equitable and compassionate healthcare system.

In conclusion, "Your Money or Your Life" serves as a powerful exposé of the perils of medical debt collection in America, illuminating the profound financial and physical costs it imposes on patients and undermining their trust in the medical profession. By raising awareness and fostering dialogue, this book offers a roadmap for reform and a renewed commitment to protecting the sick from financial ruin.

Weight: 426g
Dimension: 243 x 160 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197676639