Medical debt may seem as though it’s a problem limited largely to people who lack adequate health insurance coverage. But even those who have a health plan may find themselves struggling to pay bills.
According to a 2023 study from health care advocacy organization The Commonwealth Fund, 30% of adults with employer coverage were paying off debt from medical or dental care, as were 33% of those with Medicare, 33% of those with an individual or Affordable Care Act marketplace plan, and 21% with Medicaid. Cutbacks to Medicaid funding in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which became law over the summer, have raised concerns that more people will find themselves enmired in medical debt.
“It’s such a common burden because of the…