As medical debt grows more prevalent and harmful, state and local governments are taking action to forgive debt in their region. How can we expand these one-off actions into policy changes that prevent debt before it starts?
The toll of medical debt
Medical debt keeps the most vulnerable under water with an unavoidable financial burden, impacting family financial stability and access to essential healthcare services. As many as four in ten Americans are in medical debt or are unable to pay their medical bills. Its concerning that nearly half of U.S. adults report being unable to pay a $500 medical bill without going into debt, yet a quarter of adults with debt owe $5,000 or more. This financial instability can compel families to deplete…
Read the full article at: https://lowninstitute.org/medical-debt-is-a-crisis-is-debt-forgiveness-the-answer/