I do have direct experience. I am a lawyer that handles bankruptcy cases and creditors' rights cases (i.e. debt collection). My statement was quite accurate.

At least to your first point: https://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/cellphone-credit-check-1270.php. You can get a cell phone without a credit check, but you will either pay a deposit or pay more for prepaid service.

Wage garnishment varies by state, but for states that allow it, it certainly happens.

The rest of your statements are your opinion about living with debt and judgments. You sound like you are okay with the consequences. Many people are not. My point was that you can live a life ignoring the debt and all of the consequences, but it is generally not pleasant. Filing for bankruptcy is the only sure way out. That is why a large portion of bankruptcies are based, in whole or in part, on medical bills.

Living without credit is possible, but is severely limiting. As you admit, you have to find places to rent that don't do credit checks, among other things, so your choices are limited. You will obviously have a difficult time purchasing a house or car, and if it is possible you will pay higher down payments and a much higher interest rate. Forget credit cards. Also, even if you still want to use a bank after your accounts have been garnished a few times, you can get blacklisted by banks for the negative activity through their version of a credit check, ChexSystems. At that point no bank lets you open an account. You then lose all of the convenience of banking, no debit card, and you haveto pay fees for check cashing services, among other things.

But yes, some people are "judgment proof" in that they have no assets that would be subject to collection, or worth making the effort, and never will have any assets. Being judgment proof in that way carries its own drawbacks, which include much of the above about inability to do or obtain certain things, and paying more for certain services. Again, you can be fine with the consequences and limitations that come along with living under those conditions, but it is hardly the preferred outcome - particularly for those who recently suffered a medical event that caused the problem in the first place.