Comparing health care credit options

Health care providers and card issuers are offering a growing number of options for financing medical expenses. Here is a list of some of the credit options and terms.

See also: Special report: Do credit cards offer health care Rx?, 15 tips for paying high medical bills, Health care credit cards rise to fill insurance gap, CreditCards.com poll results: credit and health care costs, ‘MedFICO’ score: Good medicine or bad?No credit card, no medical service?, Blog: Americans worried about health care, Bankruptcies near record levels as economy sours, Study: 79 million struggling to pay medical bills and debt

Credit issuer (type)	Treatment covered	Terms, restrictions	Interest rate	Credit limit, fees
CareCredit from GE Money (credit card)	Dental, vision, cosmetic, hearing, veterinary from approved provider list	3 to 18 months with 3 percent minimum payment each month or fixed rate installment loan for up to 60 months; only accepted by GE Money medical providers	Zero percent if paid in full at end of term or 11.9 percent for fixed rate installment plan	Credit limit: $4,000 average Late fee: $15 to $39
ChaseHealthAdvance (installment loan)	Dental, orthodontic, vision, cosmetic, hair restoration from approved provider list	Three, 6, 12, 18 or 24 months; fixed rate installment loans for patients with good and excellent credit	Zero percent to 11.99 percent	Credit limit: $5,000 to $20,000
Citi Health Card (credit card)	Dental, vision, hearing, veterinary from approved provider list	Three different plans: Zero interest for 3 to 18 months; Budget plan for 48 months at 12.96 percent; Regular revolving credit at 21.98 percent variable interest; only accepted by Citi medical providers	Zero percent to 21.98 percent, depending on plan Default APR: 25.98 percent	Credit limit: varies by account Late fee: $29 to $35
HumanaAdvance Visa Card (credit card)	Any health-related products or services	Zero interest; balances repaid within 6 months from payroll deductions. Must sign up through employer	Zero percent	Credit limit: $500 to $5,000 depending on salary Annual fee: $96 paid by employer and/or employee
Prepaid Healthcare Card (debit card)	Approved health-related products and services	Available through employers’ Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs)	Allows employers to give employees tax-free reimbursements of qualified health expenses	Load amounts from $25 to $5,000 Fees: $4.95 per card, plus $2.95 to reload and $12.95 to replace lost or stolen cards
Wells Fargo Visa  (debit card)	Anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted	Available only to employees enrolled in high-deductible health insurance plans using health savings accounts (HSAs)	Employees use their own money or contributions from employers; HSA earns tax-deferred interest	Credit limit: Based on account balance Maintenance fee: $4.25/month for individual accounts

Source: CreditCards.com research and interviews

Note: Terms listed in the chart are subject to change by lenders. Click on the links to the financing options for the most up-to-date terms.

See related: Special report: Do credit cards offer health care Rx?, 15 tips for paying high medical bills, Health care credit cards rise to fill insurance gap, CreditCards.com poll results: credit and health care costs, ‘MedFICO’ score: Good medicine or bad?No credit card, no medical service?, Blog: Americans worried about health care, Bankruptcies near record levels as economy sours, Study: 79 million struggling to pay medical bills and debt