Millions of consumers are said to be arranging financing through more than 100,000 doctors and dentists that offer a year or more of interest-free monthly payments on big-ticket procedures not typically covered by insurance, The New York Times reported Thursday.

Going into debt to pay for such items is nothing new, of course, but as the price of health care goes up it has become one of the fastest-growing parts of consumer credit.

Leading the way are such lending giants as Capitol One and Citigroup as well as some big insurers which are devising new financing plans with various payback options.

However, the zero-interest plans are available only to those judged creditworthy and offer no help to those among the United States’ 47 million uninsured who are in difficult financial situations, the Times said, adding that defaults can result in 20 percent interest rates or more.