medical debt

The hospital system is not under investigation in Oregon; it defends its record and denies any impropriety.

So-caled letters of protection can saddle patients with medical debt — and drive a personal injury care system that operates with little oversight despite widespread complaints of grossly inflated billings and other problems that can place patients at risk.

Roughly 4,800 Oregonians filing for bankruptcy in 2019 listed medical bills among their debts, according to a new report.