There has been a lot of talk in the news recently about the health care reforms that are being proposed in the US. You're probably wondering 'how will this affect my life?' At present the answers may still be a little murky.

But while the reforms have found support from some quarters and controversy from others, it is clear that many of the proposed changes could help your health in the future.

At present many people find that when they do fall ill, the insurance they have isn't enough to pay back all the costs they incur. And if they have trouble paying the resulting medical bills their credit can suffer just as much as their health.

Part of the idea behind these reforms is that it should be possible to prevent families from suffering because of those high bills. Ask yourself this: 'How would my family cope if I couldn't work through ill health? Would they be able to get by - let alone pay the medical bills?'

Many people try not to think about what could happen in such a situation. But it can and does happen to regular families every single day. That's why these reforms are a positive thing, and they will prevent the credit rating of many people from being affected adversely simply because they were unlucky enough to be involved in an accident or fall ill.

Of course health care reform plans like this will not be easy to implement. Even if everyone involved agreed on how it should be done, it would take time for the necessary changes to be made possible and put in place. But perhaps the most important thing of all is that it is a possibility.

This is really a two pronged attempt to overhaul a system that isn't working. The first aspect is to reduce the costs of health care, both for the government and for those individuals who are left to pay them once their treatment is finished. The second aspect is to improve the level of care that is currently available. Everyone should be able to access the best care without worrying that they will be forced into bankruptcy by doing so.

So while these health care reforms may be travelling down a rocky road, the destination is well worth getting to. Perhaps in the future it will be possible to protect a good credit rating, get the treatment you need and stay free from debt all at the same time.