{"id":1620731,"date":"2023-02-21T19:05:20","date_gmt":"2023-02-22T00:05:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/khn.org\/?page_id=1620731"},"modified":"2026-04-17T17:29:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T21:29:29","slug":"diagnosis-debt","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/diagnosis-debt\/","title":{"rendered":"Diagnosis: Debt"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-cover-hero wp-block-kff-shared-cover-hero--offset wp-block-kff-shared-cover-hero--left-align archive-highlight-color archive-highlight-color--yellow alignfull wp-block-kff-shared-cover-hero\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/Samaria-Bradford-2.jpg')\">\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\tclass=\"wp-block-kff-shared-cover-hero__overlay\"\n\t\t\tstyle=\"opacity: 0.3\"\n\t\t><\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-cover-hero__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-cover-hero__title\">\n\t\t\t\tDiagnosis: Debt\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-cover-hero__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\n<p class=\"has-neutral-900-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8023db9d6126a03d90b7354372b795ff\">More than 100 million people in America \u2014 a startling 41% of adults \u2014 are saddled with medical bills they cannot pay, according to a KFF Health News investigation with NPR and CBS News. The project exposed that medical debt \u2014 rather than fighting disease \u2014 is now a defining feature of the nation\u2019s health care system.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading screen-reader-text\" id=\"h-featured-stories\">Featured Stories<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignfull is-style-featured-stories is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1508854\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/diagnosis-debt-investigation-100-million-americans-hidden-medical-debt\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/06\/world-of-debt_Ward.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/06\/world-of-debt_Ward.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/06\/world-of-debt_Ward.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/06\/world-of-debt_Ward.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A family stands together in a room painted dark blue.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/diagnosis-debt-investigation-100-million-americans-hidden-medical-debt\/\">100 Million People in America Are Saddled With Health Care Debt<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>The U.S. health system now produces debt on a mass scale, a new investigation shows. Patients face gut-wrenching sacrifices.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2022-06-16T00:00:00+00:00\">June 16, 2022<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1527865\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/in-america-cancer-patients-endure-debt-on-top-of-disease\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/07\/Peters03_3300x2200web.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/07\/Peters03_3300x2200web.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/07\/Peters03_3300x2200web.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/07\/Peters03_3300x2200web.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A woman holding a young child and kissing her on the cheek stands outside in front of a coniferous tree.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/in-america-cancer-patients-endure-debt-on-top-of-disease\/\">In America, Cancer Patients Endure Debt on Top of Disease<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Medical breakthroughs mean cancer is less likely to kill, but survival can come at an extraordinary cost as patients drain savings, declare bankruptcy, or lose their homes, a KHN-NPR investigation finds.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2022-07-09T00:00:00+00:00\">July 9, 2022<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1537217\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/aging\/diagnosis-debt-nursing-home-lawsuits-third-party-debt-collection\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/07\/Brooks10_3840x2560web.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/07\/Brooks10_3840x2560web.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/07\/Brooks10_3840x2560web.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/07\/Brooks10_3840x2560web.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A woman sitting in a red armchair looks at the camera.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/aging\/diagnosis-debt-nursing-home-lawsuits-third-party-debt-collection\/\">Nursing Homes Are Suing the Friends and Family of Residents to Collect Debts<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Debt lawsuits \u2014 long a byproduct of America\u2019s medical debt crisis \u2014 can ensnare not only patients but also those who help sick and older people be admitted to nursing homes, a KHN-NPR investigation finds.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2022-07-28T00:00:00+00:00\">July 28, 2022<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignfull is-style-featured-stories is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1563110\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-hospitals-dallas-fort-worth\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/09\/Dallas-Hopsitals02_3840x2560.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/09\/Dallas-Hopsitals02_3840x2560.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/09\/Dallas-Hopsitals02_3840x2560.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/09\/Dallas-Hopsitals02_3840x2560.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A man in a checkered shirt sits on a brown couch in a living room.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-hospitals-dallas-fort-worth\/\">Few Places Have More Medical Debt Than Dallas-Fort Worth, but Hospitals There Are Thriving<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Some hospitals notch big profits while patients are pushed into debt by skyrocketing medical prices and high deductibles, a KHN analysis finds.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2022-09-28T00:00:00+00:00\">Sept. 28, 2022<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1576683\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/knoxville-tennessee-medical-debt-racial-disparities\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/10\/Knoxville05_3840x2560web.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/10\/Knoxville05_3840x2560web.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/10\/Knoxville05_3840x2560web.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/10\/Knoxville05_3840x2560web.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A Black woman in a light pink blouse and dark blazer sits behind a desk and looks off to her left.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/knoxville-tennessee-medical-debt-racial-disparities\/\">Knoxville\u2019s Black Community Endured Deeply Rooted Racism. Now There Is Medical Debt.<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Despite the end of Jim Crow segregation, its legacy lives on in medical debt that disproportionately burdens Black communities.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2022-10-28T00:00:00+00:00\">Oct. 28, 2022<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1584371\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/how-banks-and-private-equity-cash-in-when-patients-cant-pay-their-medical-bills\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/11\/ATRIUM_HEALTH_01_3840x2560web.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/11\/ATRIUM_HEALTH_01_3840x2560web.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/11\/ATRIUM_HEALTH_01_3840x2560web.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/11\/ATRIUM_HEALTH_01_3840x2560web.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"An Atrium Health sign directs drivers to the emergency department, was well as visitor parking and several other entrances.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/how-banks-and-private-equity-cash-in-when-patients-cant-pay-their-medical-bills\/\">How Banks and Private Equity Cash In When Patients Can\u2019t Pay Their Medical Bills<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Hospitals strike deals with financing companies, generating profits for lenders, and more debt for patients.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/aneri-pattani\/\">Aneri Pattani<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2022-11-17T00:00:00+00:00\">Nov. 17, 2022<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignfull is-style-featured-stories is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1595745\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/what-germanys-coal-miners-can-teach-america-about-medical-debt\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/Rolshoven_20221117_52-resized.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/Rolshoven_20221117_52-resized.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/Rolshoven_20221117_52-resized.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/Rolshoven_20221117_52-resized.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo shows Dr. Eckart Rolshoven sitting at a desk for a picture.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/what-germanys-coal-miners-can-teach-america-about-medical-debt\/\">What Germany\u2019s Coal Miners Can Teach America About Medical Debt<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Coal mining ended in Germany\u2019s Saarland a decade ago, but the transition away from coal has been smoother than in West Virginia, which has more medical debt than any state in America.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2022-12-14T00:00:00+00:00\">Dec. 14, 2022<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1597000\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-hospitals-sue-patients-threaten-credit-khn-investigation\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/USATSI_19651765-resized.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/USATSI_19651765-resized.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/USATSI_19651765-resized.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/USATSI_19651765-resized.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo shows the exterior of Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-hospitals-sue-patients-threaten-credit-khn-investigation\/\">Hundreds of Hospitals Sue Patients or Threaten Their Credit, a KFF Health News Investigation Finds. Does Yours?<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>An examination of billing policies and practices at more than 500 hospitals across the country shows widespread reliance on aggressive collection tactics.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2022-12-21T00:00:00+00:00\">Dec. 21, 2022<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1743751\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/a-father-dreamed-of-a-home-for-his-family-medical-debt-nearly-pushed-them-onto-the-streets\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/09\/Atencio_13-resized.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/09\/Atencio_13-resized.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/09\/Atencio_13-resized.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/09\/Atencio_13-resized.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo of a father handing a popsicle to his young son inside an apartment.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/a-father-dreamed-of-a-home-for-his-family-medical-debt-nearly-pushed-them-onto-the-streets\/\">A Father Dreamed of a Home for His Family. Medical Debt Nearly Pushed Them Onto the Streets.<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>As cities like Denver struggle to make homes more affordable, medical debt keeps housing out of reach for millions of Americans.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2023-09-11T00:00:00+00:00\">Sept. 11, 2023<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading screen-reader-text\" id=\"h-debt-at-a-glance\">Debt At A Glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignfull is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-ceb339ea wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:35%\"><p\n\tdata-align=\"\"\n\tdata-pym-loader\n\tdata-child-src=\"https:\/\/apps.npr.org\/dailygraphics\/graphics\/medical-debt-age-20220613\/khn.html\"\n\tid=\"responsive-embed-medical-debt-age-20220613-khn\"\n\t>\n\tLoading&#8230;\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:35%\"><p\n\tdata-align=\"\"\n\tdata-pym-loader\n\tdata-child-src=\"https:\/\/apps.npr.org\/dailygraphics\/graphics\/medical-debt-income-20220613\/khn.html\"\n\tid=\"responsive-embed-medical-debt-income-20220613-khn\"\n\t>\n\tLoading&#8230;\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left has-medium-font-size\" id=\"h-tell-us-about-your-medical-debt\" style=\"margin-top:33px;margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)\">Tell Us About Your Medical Debt<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you been forced into debt because of a medical or dental bill? Have you had to make any changes in your life because of such debt? Have you been pursued by debt collectors for a medical bill? We want to hear about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-100 is-style-icon-plane\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-black-color has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/diagnosis-debt-medical-bills-reader-input-submissions\/\">Share Your Story<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-black-color has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color has-text-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-the-crisis\" style=\"margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);font-size:54px\">The Crisis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p>KFF Health News\u2019 yearlong investigation exposed a staggering failure of U.S. health care: It systematically pushes patients into debt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&#8220;Diagnosis: Debt&#8221;<\/strong> revealed the scope and severity of this crisis as no one has before: A quarter of those with debt owe more than $5,000. And nearly as many with any amount of debt don\u2019t expect to pay it off in their lifetimes. Black Americans are 50% as likely as whites to owe money for medical care. And 20% of U.S. hospitals will deny nonemergency care to patients with an outstanding bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The investigation unmasked the opaque world of medical billing and collections and a vast new industry that preys on patients. And it garnered prompt attention and action in Washington and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In intimate, multimedia stories, <strong>&#8220;Diagnosis: Debt&#8221;<\/strong> documented the suffering and sacrifices this burden forces on patients and their families. KFF Health News and our partners at NPR and CBS News profiled people driven from their homes, new parents who took on extra work, and retirees pushed to bankruptcy because of debt.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-text-color is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"color:#111111\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-upended-how-medical-debt-changed-their-lives\" style=\"margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);font-size:54px\">Upended: How Medical Debt Changed Their Lives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/diagnosis-debt-investigation-faces-of-medical-debt\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1140\" src=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/02\/faces-grid-half.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1620802\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/02\/faces-grid-half.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/02\/faces-grid-half.jpg?resize=150,89 150w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/02\/faces-grid-half.jpg?resize=500,297 500w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/02\/faces-grid-half.jpg?resize=768,456 768w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/02\/faces-grid-half.jpg?resize=1270,754 1270w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/02\/faces-grid-half.jpg?resize=1536,912 1536w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/02\/faces-grid-half.jpg?resize=120,71 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\" style=\"font-size:21px\">Some lost their homes. Some emptied their retirement accounts. Some struggled to feed and clothe their families. Medical debt now touches more than 100 million people in America, as the U.S. health care system pushes patients into debt on a mass scale. Debtors are from all walks of life and all corners of the country. Here are their stories \u2015 how they got into debt, what they\u2019ve given up for it, and how they\u2019re living with the burden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-left is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-fc4fd283 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-icon-arrow-up-right\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-black-color has-yellow-400-background-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/diagnosis-debt-investigation-faces-of-medical-debt\/\">Read the Profiles<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p\n\tdata-align=\"\"\n\tdata-pym-loader\n\tdata-child-src=\"https:\/\/apps.npr.org\/dailygraphics\/graphics\/hospital-card-20221024\/khn.html\"\n\tid=\"responsive-embed-hospital-card-20221024-khn\"\n\t>\n\tLoading&#8230;\n<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-text-color is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"color:#111111\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading alignwide has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-more-stories-from-the-project\" style=\"margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);font-size:54px\">More Stories from the Project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-query alignfull is-layout-flow wp-block-query-is-layout-flow hidden-pagination\"><ul class=\"columns-3 wp-block-post-template is-layout-grid wp-container-core-post-template-is-layout-6d3fbd8f wp-block-post-template-is-layout-grid\"><li class=\"wp-block-post post-2228622 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-courts category-health-care-costs category-health-industry tag-doctors tag-graphics tag-hospitals tag-multimedia state-connecticut series-diagnosis-debt series-state-watch partner-ct-mirror\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-2228622\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/medical-debt-connecticut-doctors-sue-patients\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/04\/Med_Debt_Wilson_10.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/04\/Med_Debt_Wilson_10.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/04\/Med_Debt_Wilson_10.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/04\/Med_Debt_Wilson_10.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A woman stands outside in a wooded area.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/medical-debt-connecticut-doctors-sue-patients\/\">In Connecticut, Doctors Now Sue Patients Most Over Medical Bills, Surpassing Hospitals<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Physicians, dentists, and other nonhospital providers account for more than 80% of health care debt collection cases in Connecticut courts, a CT Mirror-KFF Health News investigation finds.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/katy-golvala-and-jenna-carlesso-ct-mirror\/\">Katy Golvala, CT Mirror<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/jenna-carlesso-ct-mirror\/\">Jenna Carlesso, CT Mirror<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2026-04-20T00:00:00+00:00\">April 20, 2026<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-2154960 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry category-rural-health tag-legislation tag-mountain-states-bureau tag-southern-bureau content-types-article funder-colorado-health-foundation funder-helmsley-charitable-trust funder-michigan-health-endowment-fund funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation state-arizona state-colorado state-florida state-hawaii state-indiana state-maine state-michigan state-washington state-ohio state-tennessee series-diagnosis-debt\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-2154960\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-wage-garnishment-state-legislation-patient-protection\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-2236204755-resized.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-2236204755-resized.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-2236204755-resized.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-2236204755-resized.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"An aerial view of the gilded dome atop the Colorado Capitol in Denver. The city of Denver is seen behind it.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-wage-garnishment-state-legislation-patient-protection\/\">State Lawmakers Seek Restraints on Wage Garnishment for Medical Debt<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>At least eight states are considering legislation to curtail wage garnishment over unpaid medical bills, as health care costs rise and more people become underinsured.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/rae-ellen-bichell\/\">Rae Ellen Bichell<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2026-02-20T00:00:00+00:00\">Feb. 20, 2026<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-2106810 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry tag-midwest-bureau tag-mountain-states-bureau tag-trump-administration content-types-article funder-colorado-health-foundation funder-missouri-foundation-for-health state-colorado state-maryland state-minnesota state-new-york state-washington state-oregon state-california series-diagnosis-debt\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-2106810\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-industry\/medical-debt-trump-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-reverses-credit-protections\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2196837314-resized.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2196837314-resized.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2196837314-resized.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2196837314-resized.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo of the CFPB headquarters. A tree is seen in the foreground.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-industry\/medical-debt-trump-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-reverses-credit-protections\/\">Trump Team Takes Aim at State Laws Shielding Consumers&#8217; Credit Scores From Medical Debt<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Reversing guidance from the Biden administration, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau concludes that states cannot bar medical debt from their residents\u2019 credit reports.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2025-10-28T00:00:00+00:00\">Oct. 28, 2025<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-2092949 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-courts category-health-care-costs category-medicaid category-rural-health tag-graphics tag-hospitals tag-investigation tag-mountain-states-bureau tag-multimedia content-types-article funder-colorado-health-foundation funder-helmsley-charitable-trust state-colorado series-diagnosis-debt partner-fortune\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-2092949\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/courts\/colorado-wage-garnishment-health-care-medical-debt-collections-medicaid\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/Wage-Garnishment04_3840x2560web.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/Wage-Garnishment04_3840x2560web.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/Wage-Garnishment04_3840x2560web.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/Wage-Garnishment04_3840x2560web.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/courts\/colorado-wage-garnishment-health-care-medical-debt-collections-medicaid\/\">Workers\u2019 Wages Siphoned To Pay Medical Bills, Despite Consumer Protections<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Health care providers and debt collectors are biting from people\u2019s paychecks to cover old medical bills. A KFF Health News investigation in Colorado shows that this aggressive collection practice is widespread even in a state considered to have strong consumer protections.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/rae-ellen-bichell\/\">Rae Ellen Bichell<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2025-10-02T00:00:00+00:00\">Oct. 2, 2025<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-2091514 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-courts category-health-care-costs category-health-industry category-insurance category-public-health category-rural-health tag-cost-transparency tag-hospitals tag-legislation tag-midwest-bureau tag-mountain-states-bureau tag-out-of-pocket-costs tag-southern-bureau tag-surprise-bills tag-trump-administration content-types-article funder-colorado-health-foundation funder-headwaters-foundation funder-john-a-hartford-foundation funder-helmsley-charitable-trust funder-missouri-foundation-for-health funder-montana-healthcare-foundation funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation state-colorado state-connecticut state-indiana state-maine state-minnesota state-montana state-nevada state-new-york state-ohio state-virginia state-texas state-south-dakota state-vermont state-wyoming state-california series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-2091514\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/courts\/medical-debt-battle-patient-protections-states-trump-policy-credit-reports\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-2177298280.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-2177298280.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-2177298280.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-2177298280.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo of a person holding receipts and a cell phone while sitting at a table covered in letters and bills.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/courts\/medical-debt-battle-patient-protections-states-trump-policy-credit-reports\/\">As Trump Punts on Medical Debt, Battle Over Patient Protections Moves to States<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Some states are enacting medical debt laws as the Trump administration pulls back federal protections. Elsewhere, industry opposition has derailed legislation.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/katheryn-houghton\/\">Katheryn Houghton<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/arielle-zionts\/\">Arielle Zionts<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2025-09-25T00:00:00+00:00\">Sept. 25, 2025<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-2065016 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-insurance category-medicaid tag-affordable-care-act tag-biden-administration tag-high-deductible-plans tag-kff tag-out-of-pocket-costs tag-polls tag-premiums tag-subsidies tag-trump-administration tag-uninsured tag-vaccines content-types-article series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-2065016\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-trump-policies-little-relief\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2161592833_3840x2560web.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2161592833_3840x2560web.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2161592833_3840x2560web.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2161592833_3840x2560web.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A vector illustration of someone with one hand to their face and a credit card in the other hand. They are sitting in front of a laptop on a table.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-trump-policies-little-relief\/\">Trump Voters Wanted Relief From Medical Bills. For Millions, the Bills Are About To Get Bigger.<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Moves by the Trump administration to pare back Medicaid, rescind medical debt rules, and loosen vaccine requirements threaten to increase medical bills for millions of Americans.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2025-07-25T00:00:00+00:00\">July 25, 2025<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-2009450 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-insurance category-medicaid content-types-article funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation state-connecticut state-new-york state-ohio state-virginia state-california series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-2009450\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/undue-medical-debt-blockbuster-deal-relief-billions\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-1041224722.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-1041224722.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-1041224722.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-1041224722.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A calculator, smart phone, and a ballpoint pen rest on top of a very expensive medical bill.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/undue-medical-debt-blockbuster-deal-relief-billions\/\">Blockbuster Deal Will Wipe Out $30 Billion in Medical Debt. Even Backers Say It\u2019s Not Enough.<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Undue Medical Debt is retiring unpaid medical bills for 20 million people. The debt trading company that owned them is leaving the market.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2025-04-07T00:00:00+00:00\">April 7, 2025<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1966066 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry tag-biden-administration tag-mountain-states-bureau content-types-article funder-colorado-health-foundation state-colorado state-new-york state-california series-diagnosis-debt\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1966066\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/biden-administration-cfpb-medical-debt-credit-scores-final-rule\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/01\/GettyImages-2167313853-resized.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/01\/GettyImages-2167313853-resized.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/01\/GettyImages-2167313853-resized.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/01\/GettyImages-2167313853-resized.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/biden-administration-cfpb-medical-debt-credit-scores-final-rule\/\">Biden Administration Bars Medical Debt From Credit Scores<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>The move, which comes less than two weeks before President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office, represents a challenge to the new administration.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2025-01-07T00:00:00+00:00\">Jan. 7, 2025<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1950026 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-elections category-health-care-costs tag-biden-administration tag-investigation tag-midwest-bureau tag-mountain-states-bureau tag-southern-bureau tag-trump-administration content-types-article funder-colorado-health-foundation funder-georgia-health-initiative funder-missouri-foundation-for-health funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation state-arizona state-colorado state-connecticut state-florida state-georgia state-idaho state-illinois state-louisiana state-massachusetts state-minnesota state-nevada state-new-york state-washington state-oregon state-new-jersey state-new-mexico state-rhode-island state-california series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1950026\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/elections\/medical-bills-debt-trump-states-consumer-credit-reports-cfpb\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/11\/GettyImages-2180589131-resized.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/11\/GettyImages-2180589131-resized.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/11\/GettyImages-2180589131-resized.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/11\/GettyImages-2180589131-resized.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo of Donald Trump standing in front of a screen.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/elections\/medical-bills-debt-trump-states-consumer-credit-reports-cfpb\/\">With Trump on the Way, Advocates Look to States To Pick Up Medical Debt Fight<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Patient and consumer advocates fear a new Trump administration will scale back federal efforts to expand financial protections for patients and shield them from debt.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2024-12-03T00:00:00+00:00\">Dec. 3, 2024<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1928758 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-elections category-health-care-costs category-health-industry category-insurance tag-biden-administration tag-investigation tag-obamacare-plans tag-trump-administration content-types-article series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1928758\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/elections\/kamala-harris-medical-debt-cfpb-medicare\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/10\/GettyImages-1239925172-resized.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/10\/GettyImages-1239925172-resized.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/10\/GettyImages-1239925172-resized.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/10\/GettyImages-1239925172-resized.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo of Kamala Harris speaking at a podium. Behind her is a large backdrop that reads &quot;Giving Americans Relief From Medical Debt.&quot;\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/elections\/kamala-harris-medical-debt-cfpb-medicare\/\">Harris Backs Slashing Medical Debt. Trump\u2019s \u2018Concepts\u2019 Worry Advocates.<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>The Biden administration has taken significant steps to address a problem that burdens 100 million people in America, but gains would be jeopardized by a Trump win, advocates say.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2024-10-16T00:00:00+00:00\">Oct. 16, 2024<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1921871 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-elections category-health-care-costs tag-midwest-bureau tag-mountain-states-bureau tag-southern-bureau content-types-article funder-colorado-health-foundation funder-missouri-foundation-for-health funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation state-arizona state-colorado state-florida state-illinois state-maryland state-minnesota state-north-carolina state-oklahoma state-new-mexico state-california series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1921871\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/elections\/medical-debt-bipartisan-issue-urgent\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/GettyImages-1535980289-resize.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/GettyImages-1535980289-resize.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/GettyImages-1535980289-resize.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/GettyImages-1535980289-resize.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo illustration of a blue donkey and a red elephant facing each other.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/elections\/medical-debt-bipartisan-issue-urgent\/\">Even Political Rivals Agree That Medical Debt Is an Urgent Issue<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>In red and blue states, state lawmakers from both parties are expanding protections for patients burdened by medical debt.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2024-10-07T00:00:00+00:00\">Oct. 7, 2024<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1921518 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs tag-investigation tag-legislation content-types-article funder-california-health-care-foundation state-california series-diagnosis-debt partner-orange-county-register\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1921518\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/california-governor-gavin-newsom-medical-debt-credit-reports-law\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/GettyImages-2172247354-resized.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/GettyImages-2172247354-resized.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/GettyImages-2172247354-resized.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/GettyImages-2172247354-resized.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo of Gavin Newsom outside.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/california-governor-gavin-newsom-medical-debt-credit-reports-law\/\">California Governor Signs Law Banning Medical Debt From Credit Reports<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>New California legislation will bar unpaid medical bills from showing up on consumer credit reports starting in January. However, the banking industry muscled in eleventh-hour amendments that weakened the protections for patients, the bill\u2019s lead sponsor says.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/molly-castle-work\/\">Molly Castle Work<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2024-09-24T00:00:00+00:00\">Sept. 24, 2024<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1919537 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs tag-kff tag-southern-bureau content-types-article funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation state-missouri state-north-carolina state-texas state-south-carolina state-oklahoma state-wyoming series-diagnosis-debt partner-raleigh-news-observer partner-the-charlotte-observer\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1919537\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/north-carolina-medical-debt-credit-scores-reports\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/NC-Med-Debt-07Burke_featWeb.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/NC-Med-Debt-07Burke_featWeb.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/NC-Med-Debt-07Burke_featWeb.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/NC-Med-Debt-07Burke_featWeb.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A man with a beard and glasses looks serious as he takes a selfie.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/north-carolina-medical-debt-credit-scores-reports\/\">Across North Carolina, Medical Debt Exacts a Heavy Toll<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>The state has among the highest levels of medical debt in the country, data shows.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/ames-alexander-charlotte-observer\/\">Ames Alexander, Charlotte Observer<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2024-09-23T00:00:00+00:00\">Sept. 23, 2024<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1917139 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry category-medicaid category-rural-health tag-biden-administration tag-hospitals tag-southern-bureau content-types-article funder-helmsley-charitable-trust funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation state-north-carolina series-diagnosis-debt partner-raleigh-news-observer partner-the-charlotte-observer\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1917139\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-industry\/north-carolina-hospitals-medical-debt\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/ILLUSTRATION-\u2013NC-Med-Debt-Zenda.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/ILLUSTRATION-\u2013NC-Med-Debt-Zenda.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/ILLUSTRATION-\u2013NC-Med-Debt-Zenda.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/ILLUSTRATION-\u2013NC-Med-Debt-Zenda.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"An abstract illustration that shows the side profiles of two blocky, cartoon men on each side of the page. Multicolored, semi-transparent arrows with dollar signs stretch across them to meet in the center. Framed by the arrows, in the very center of the image, is a drawing of a handshake.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-industry\/north-carolina-hospitals-medical-debt\/\">How North Carolina Made Its Hospitals Do Something About Medical Debt<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>State officials threatened to withhold public money from hospitals, pioneering a strategy that could become a national model.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/ames-alexander-charlotte-observer\/\">Ames Alexander, Charlotte Observer<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2024-09-23T00:00:00+00:00\">Sept. 23, 2024<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1913348 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-insurance tag-investigation tag-southern-bureau content-types-article funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation state-alabama series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1913348\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-alabama-free-workplace-clinic-pharmacy\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/AL_Med-Debt_Wheat_01.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/AL_Med-Debt_Wheat_01.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/AL_Med-Debt_Wheat_01.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/09\/AL_Med-Debt_Wheat_01.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A man in a blue tshirt and glasses stands in a factory\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-alabama-free-workplace-clinic-pharmacy\/\">These Alabama Workers Were Swamped by Medical Debt. Then Their Employer Stepped In.<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>A decades-old manufacturing company opened a clinic and made primary care and prescriptions free for employees and their families.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2024-09-19T00:00:00+00:00\">Sept. 19, 2024<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1865751 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs tag-biden-administration content-types-article state-colorado state-new-york series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1865751\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/biden-administration-plan-remove-medical-debt-credit-scores\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-2151617978-resized.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-2151617978-resized.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-2151617978-resized.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/06\/GettyImages-2151617978-resized.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo of the logo of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on a door.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/biden-administration-plan-remove-medical-debt-credit-scores\/\">Biden Administration Advances Plan To Remove Medical Debt From Credit Scores<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed federal regulations that would prevent unpaid medical bills from being counted on consumers\u2019 credit reports.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2024-06-11T00:00:00+00:00\">June 11, 2024<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1844718 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry tag-audio tag-hospitals tag-investigation tag-multimedia content-types-article state-new-york series-diagnosis-debt partner-marketplace\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1844718\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/diagnosis-debt-rochester-new-york-health-system-stopped-suing-patients-over-medical-bills\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/05\/Rochester_01.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/05\/Rochester_01.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/05\/Rochester_01.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/05\/Rochester_01.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo of the exterior of Rochester Regional Health.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/diagnosis-debt-rochester-new-york-health-system-stopped-suing-patients-over-medical-bills\/\">Why One New York Health System Stopped Suing Its Patients<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Most U.S. hospitals aggressively pursue patients for unpaid bills. One New York hospital system decided to work with them instead.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2024-05-15T00:00:00+00:00\">May 15, 2024<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1850085 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-rural-health tag-childrens-health tag-investigation tag-midwest-bureau tag-pregnancy tag-womens-health content-types-article funder-helmsley-charitable-trust funder-missouri-foundation-for-health state-illinois state-massachusetts series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1850085\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/babies-come-with-medical-debt\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/05\/MedicalDebt_18-resized.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/05\/MedicalDebt_18-resized.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/05\/MedicalDebt_18-resized.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/05\/MedicalDebt_18-resized.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo of two parents walking with their young daughter outside.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/babies-come-with-medical-debt\/\">Their First Baby Came With Medical Debt. These Illinois Parents Won\u2019t Have Another.<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Millions of new parents in the U.S. are swamped by medical debt during and after pregnancy, forcing many to cut back on food, clothing, and other essentials.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2024-05-10T00:00:00+00:00\">May 10, 2024<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1834229 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry category-medicaid tag-graphics tag-immigrants tag-latinos tag-mountain-states-bureau tag-multimedia content-types-article funder-colorado-health-foundation state-colorado state-illinois state-maryland state-new-york state-oregon state-south-carolina series-diagnosis-debt partner-colab-colorado-news-collaborative\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1834229\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-colorado-immigrants-credit-reports\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/Colorado-Med-Debt_Brambila_03-resized.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/Colorado-Med-Debt_Brambila_03-resized.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/Colorado-Med-Debt_Brambila_03-resized.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/Colorado-Med-Debt_Brambila_03-resized.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo of a woman posing outside.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-colorado-immigrants-credit-reports\/\">Medical Debt Affects Much of America, but Colorado Immigrants Are Hit Especially Hard<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Colorado is ahead of the curve on policies to prevent medical debt, but the gap between the debt load in places inhabited primarily by people of color versus non-Hispanic white residents is greater than the national average.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/rae-ellen-bichell\/\">Rae Ellen Bichell<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/lindsey-toomer-colorado-newsline\/\">Lindsey Toomer, Colorado Newsline<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2024-04-03T00:00:00+00:00\">April 3, 2024<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1814552 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-courts category-health-care-costs category-health-industry tag-legislation content-types-article series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1814552\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/courts\/medical-debt-consumer-financial-protection-bureau\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/02\/GettyImages-1813802210.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/02\/GettyImages-1813802210.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/02\/GettyImages-1813802210.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/02\/GettyImages-1813802210.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photograph of Rohit Chopra during the senate hearing. He holds his chin in his left hand in a contemplative position.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/courts\/medical-debt-consumer-financial-protection-bureau\/\">With Medical Debt Burdening Millions, a Financial Regulator Steps In to Help<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, created after the Great Recession of 2007-09, has increasingly started policing the health care system.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2024-03-01T00:00:00+00:00\">March 1, 2024<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1805010 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs tag-investigation tag-legislation tag-midwest-bureau content-types-article funder-missouri-foundation-for-health state-illinois state-michigan state-new-york state-ohio state-wisconsin series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1805010\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/erasing-medical-debt-rip-new-york-city-local-governments-billions\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/01\/GettyImages-1755574288-resized.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/01\/GettyImages-1755574288-resized.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/01\/GettyImages-1755574288-resized.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/01\/GettyImages-1755574288-resized.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo of Toni Preckwinkle speaking at an event.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/erasing-medical-debt-rip-new-york-city-local-governments-billions\/\">New York Joins Local Governments in Erasing Billions in Medical Debt<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>New York City is the latest jurisdiction to buy and forgive a backlog of unpaid medical bills for its residents. Local governments across the country, including in the Chicago area, are doing the same to reduce debt burdens for lower-income residents.  <\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/yuki-noguchi-npr-news\/\">Yuki Noguchi, NPR News<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2024-01-25T00:00:00+00:00\">Jan. 25, 2024<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1785319 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry category-rural-health tag-investigation tag-southern-bureau content-types-article funder-helmsley-charitable-trust funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation state-oklahoma series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1785319\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-mcalester-oklahoma-hospital-lawsuits\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/01\/McAlester_01.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/01\/McAlester_01.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/01\/McAlester_01.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/01\/McAlester_01.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-mcalester-oklahoma-hospital-lawsuits\/\">In This Oklahoma Town, Most Everyone Knows Someone Who\u2019s Been Sued by the Hospital<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Hospitals nationwide face growing scrutiny over how they secure payment from patients, but at one community hospital, the debt collection machine has been quietly humming along for decades.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/mitchell-black\/\">Mitchell Black<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2024-01-19T00:00:00+00:00\">Jan. 19, 2024<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1784751 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry tag-audio tag-investigation tag-multimedia content-types-article series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1784751\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/listen-sunday-story-npr-medical-debt-investigation-series\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/12\/MED-DEBT-2-YEARS-HEADER-COLLAGE.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/12\/MED-DEBT-2-YEARS-HEADER-COLLAGE.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/12\/MED-DEBT-2-YEARS-HEADER-COLLAGE.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/12\/MED-DEBT-2-YEARS-HEADER-COLLAGE.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A collage of portraits of seven people affected by medical debt.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/listen-sunday-story-npr-medical-debt-investigation-series\/\">Listen: What Our 2-Year-Long Investigation Into Medical Debt Reveals<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>An award-winning project by KFF Health News and NPR found that at least 100 million people in the United States are saddled with medical bills they cannot pay \u2014 and exposed a health care system that systematically pushes people into debt.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2023-12-12T00:00:00+00:00\">Dec. 12, 2023<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1784745 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry category-rural-health tag-investigation tag-multimedia tag-southern-bureau tag-video content-types-article funder-helmsley-charitable-trust funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation state-virginia series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1784745\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/watch-she-had-a-home-and-a-good-paying-job-then-illness-and-debt-upended-it-all\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/12\/Diagnosis-Debt-website-image.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/12\/Diagnosis-Debt-website-image.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/12\/Diagnosis-Debt-website-image.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/12\/Diagnosis-Debt-website-image.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A still from a video of a woman seated. Text on the screen reads, &quot;Diagnosis: Debt.&quot;\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/watch-she-had-a-home-and-a-good-paying-job-then-illness-and-debt-upended-it-all\/\">Watch: She Had a Home and a Good-Paying Job. Then Illness and Debt Upended It All.<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>A chronic health diagnosis and medical debt reordered Sharon Woodward&#8217;s life.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/hannah-norman\/\">Hannah Norman<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2023-12-11T00:00:00+00:00\">Dec. 11, 2023<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1767649 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs tag-hospitals tag-investigation tag-mountain-states-bureau tag-study content-types-article state-colorado state-california series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1767649\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/removing-medical-debt-credit-reports-urban-institute-study\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/11\/Atencio_04-resized.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/11\/Atencio_04-resized.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/11\/Atencio_04-resized.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/11\/Atencio_04-resized.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/removing-medical-debt-credit-reports-urban-institute-study\/\">Medical Debt Is Disappearing From Americans\u2019 Credit Reports, Lifting Scores<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>As credit rating agencies have removed small unpaid medical bills from consumer credit, scores have gone up, a new study finds.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2023-11-02T00:00:00+00:00\">Nov. 2, 2023<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1750391 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry tag-biden-administration tag-cost-and-quality tag-investigation tag-impact tag-legislation content-types-article series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1750391\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-credit-score-ban-biden-administration\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/09\/Wingard.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/09\/Wingard.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/09\/Wingard.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/09\/Wingard.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo of a woman standing by a window.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-credit-score-ban-biden-administration\/\">Biden Administration to Ban Medical Debt From Americans\u2019 Credit Scores<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>The White House said the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will develop new regulations that would prevent unpaid medical bills from being counted on credit reports.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2023-09-21T00:00:00+00:00\">Sept. 21, 2023<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1734128 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-courts category-health-care-costs category-health-industry tag-hospitals tag-investigation tag-southern-bureau content-types-article funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation state-north-carolina series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1734128\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/courts\/north-carolina-hospitals-patient-debt-lawsuits\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/08\/ATRIUM_HEALTH.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/08\/ATRIUM_HEALTH.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/08\/ATRIUM_HEALTH.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/08\/ATRIUM_HEALTH.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo of a directory sign with Atrium Health&#039;s logo displayed on it.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/courts\/north-carolina-hospitals-patient-debt-lawsuits\/\">North Carolina Hospitals Have Sued Thousands of Their Patients, a New Report Finds<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>An analysis of court records by the state treasurer and Duke researchers finds Atrium Health, originally a public hospital system, accounted for almost a third of the legal actions against North Carolina patients over roughly five years.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2023-08-16T00:00:00+00:00\">Aug. 16, 2023<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1730181 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry tag-hospitals tag-investigation tag-southern-bureau content-types-article funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation state-north-carolina series-diagnosis-debt\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1730181\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/what-one-lending-companys-hospital-contracts-reveal-about-financing-patient-debt\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/08\/GettyImages-1242717161-resized.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/08\/GettyImages-1242717161-resized.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/08\/GettyImages-1242717161-resized.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/08\/GettyImages-1242717161-resized.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo of a stethoscope on top of a one hundred dollar bill.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/what-one-lending-companys-hospital-contracts-reveal-about-financing-patient-debt\/\">What One Lending Company\u2019s Hospital Contracts Reveal About Financing Patient Debt<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Within two years of North Carolina\u2019s public university system going into business with AccessOne to finance patients\u2019 payment plans, nearly half of its patients were in loans that charged interest. As federal scrutiny increases on lenders, KFF Health News is sharing that contract and others obtained through public records requests.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2023-08-08T00:00:00+00:00\">Aug. 8, 2023<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1698159 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry category-insurance tag-doctors tag-hospitals tag-investigation content-types-article series-diagnosis-debt partner-los-angeles-times\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1698159\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-anger-doctors-hospitals\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/07\/AP21280821756700_3840x2560web.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/07\/AP21280821756700_3840x2560web.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/07\/AP21280821756700_3840x2560web.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/07\/AP21280821756700_3840x2560web.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A woman in a red striped blouse and red skirt sits in an armchair in front coffee table, the surface of which is covered in mailing envelopes and papers.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-anger-doctors-hospitals\/\">Medical Debt Is Making Americans Angry. Doctors and Hospitals Ignore This at Their Peril.<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Doctors and hospitals hold an exalted position in American life, retaining public confidence even as other institutions such as government, law enforcement, and the media are losing people\u2019s trust. But with health care debt out of hand, medical providers risk their good standing.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2023-07-21T00:00:00+00:00\">July 21, 2023<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1708420 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-race-and-health tag-cancer tag-investigation tag-southern-bureau content-types-article funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation state-virginia series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1708420\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/were-not-doing-that-why-a-black-couple-wouldnt-crowdfund-to-pay-off-medical-debts\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/06\/Fields_01-resized.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/06\/Fields_01-resized.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/06\/Fields_01-resized.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/06\/Fields_01-resized.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo of a Black woman posing for a photo by racks of clothing indoors.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/were-not-doing-that-why-a-black-couple-wouldnt-crowdfund-to-pay-off-medical-debts\/\">\u2018We\u2019re Not Doing That\u2019: Why a Black Couple Wouldn\u2019t Crowdfund to Pay Off Medical Debts<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Kristie Fields, a cancer patient in Virginia, was urged to go public to seek financial help. She worried about feeding hurtful stereotypes.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2023-06-26T00:00:00+00:00\">June 26, 2023<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1705512 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry tag-hospitals tag-investigation tag-mountain-states-bureau content-types-article state-colorado state-new-york state-washington state-oregon state-new-mexico series-diagnosis-debt\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1705512\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/human-rights-watch-medical-debt-crisis-diagnosis-debt-hospital-bills\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/06\/GettyImages-1453876840-resized.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/06\/GettyImages-1453876840-resized.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/06\/GettyImages-1453876840-resized.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/06\/GettyImages-1453876840-resized.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo of the exterior of a hospital building marked with a large, blue and white H.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/human-rights-watch-medical-debt-crisis-diagnosis-debt-hospital-bills\/\">International Rights Group Calls Out US for Allowing Hospitals to Push Millions Into Debt<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>In a new report, Human Rights Watch urges stronger federal and state action to hold hospitals to account for a medical debt crisis that now burdens more than 100 million Americans.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2023-06-15T00:00:00+00:00\">June 15, 2023<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1693662 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-medicaid tag-chronic-disease-care tag-diabetes tag-drug-costs tag-drugs tag-graphics tag-investigation tag-multimedia tag-southern-bureau content-types-article funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation state-south-carolina series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1693662\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/many-people-living-in-the-diabetes-belt-are-plagued-with-medical-debt\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/05\/DiabetesMedDebt01_3840x2560web.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/05\/DiabetesMedDebt01_3840x2560web.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/05\/DiabetesMedDebt01_3840x2560web.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/05\/DiabetesMedDebt01_3840x2560web.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A woman in a red blouse with short sleeves stands in a doorway with her hand on one side of the frame and looks at the camera.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/many-people-living-in-the-diabetes-belt-are-plagued-with-medical-debt\/\">Many People Living in the &#8216;Diabetes Belt&#8217; Are Plagued With Medical Debt<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>The \u201cDiabetes Belt,\u201d as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, comprises 644 mostly Southern counties where diabetes rates are high. Of those counties, KFF Health News and NPR found, more than half also have high levels of medical debt.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/robert-benincasa-npr\/\">Robert Benincasa, NPR<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/nick-mcmillan-npr\/\">Nick McMillan, NPR<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2023-05-30T00:00:00+00:00\">May 30, 2023<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1686002 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry tag-biden-administration tag-investigation tag-southern-bureau content-types-article funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation state-north-carolina series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1686002\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-credit-cards-biden-administration-warning-high-interest-rates\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/05\/ATRIUM_HEALTH.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/05\/ATRIUM_HEALTH.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/05\/ATRIUM_HEALTH.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/05\/ATRIUM_HEALTH.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A photo of the exterior of Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-credit-cards-biden-administration-warning-high-interest-rates\/\">Biden Administration Issues New Warning About Medical Credit Cards<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Americans paid an estimated $1 billion in deferred interest on medical debt in just three years, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reports. The agency warns against medical credit cards, which are often pitched right in doctors\u2019 offices.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2023-05-04T00:00:00+00:00\">May 4, 2023<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1632180 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry tag-biden-administration tag-hospitals tag-investigation tag-impact content-types-article state-colorado state-maryland state-new-york state-california series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1632180\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/advocates-urging-biden-medical-debt-health-costs\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/03\/Ward-family-01.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/03\/Ward-family-01.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/03\/Ward-family-01.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/03\/Ward-family-01.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A family sitting together on a couch.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/advocates-urging-biden-medical-debt-health-costs\/\">Biden Administration Urged to Take More Aggressive Steps to Relieve Medical Debt<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Consumer and patient advocates push for new federal rules to protect Americans from debt collectors and force hospitals to make financial assistance more accessible.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/noam-n-levey\/\">Noam N. Levey<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2023-03-07T00:00:00+00:00\">March 7, 2023<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1572373 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-insurance category-medicaid category-mental-health tag-childrens-health tag-insurers tag-investigation tag-midwest-bureau tag-parity content-types-article funder-missouri-foundation-for-health state-michigan state-rhode-island series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1572373\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/kids-mental-health-care-parents-debt\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/10\/Jesse-Zhang-FINAL_web.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/10\/Jesse-Zhang-FINAL_web.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/10\/Jesse-Zhang-FINAL_web.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/10\/Jesse-Zhang-FINAL_web.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/kids-mental-health-care-parents-debt\/\">Kids\u2019 Mental Health Care Leaves Parents in Debt and in the Shadows<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>A youth mental health crisis and a shortage of therapists and other care providers who take insurance are pushing many families into financial ruin. But it&#8217;s rarely acknowledged as medical debt.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/yuki-noguchi-npr-news\/\">Yuki Noguchi, NPR News<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2022-10-19T00:00:00+00:00\">Oct. 19, 2022<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1566188 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry tag-investigation tag-southern-bureau content-types-article funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation state-north-carolina series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1566188\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-changes-credit-reporting-agencies-no-help\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/10\/Wingard2_3840x2560web.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/10\/Wingard2_3840x2560web.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/10\/Wingard2_3840x2560web.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/10\/Wingard2_3840x2560web.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A woman in a white shirt stands in front of a dark red couch.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-changes-credit-reporting-agencies-no-help\/\">Medical Debt Sunk Her Credit. New Changes From the Credit Reporting Agencies Won\u2019t Help.<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>New policies to prevent unpaid medical bills from harming people\u2019s credit scores are on the way. But the concessions made by top credit reporting companies may fall short for those with the largest debt \u2014 especially Black Americans in the South.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/aneri-pattani\/\">Aneri Pattani<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2022-10-06T00:00:00+00:00\">Oct. 6, 2022<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1542148 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry tag-audio tag-cost-and-quality tag-hospitals tag-investigation tag-multimedia tag-southern-bureau content-types-article funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation state-georgia state-south-carolina series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1542148\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/nonprofit-medical-debt-buy-forgive\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/Logan01.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/Logan01.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/Logan01.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/Logan01.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A woman in a green dress sits on a couch.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/nonprofit-medical-debt-buy-forgive\/\">After Wiping Out $6.7 Billion in Medical Debt, This Nonprofit Is Just Getting Started<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Nonprofit RIP Medical Debt buys up unpaid hospital bills plaguing low-income patients and frees them from having to pay.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/yuki-noguchi-npr-news\/\">Yuki Noguchi, NPR News<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2022-08-16T00:00:00+00:00\">Aug. 16, 2022<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1523086 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry category-insurance tag-cost-transparency tag-hospitals tag-investigation tag-uninsured content-types-article funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1523086\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-avoid-how-to\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/06\/Med_Debt_s1_Color_v7.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/06\/Med_Debt_s1_Color_v7.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/06\/Med_Debt_s1_Color_v7.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/06\/Med_Debt_s1_Color_v7.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A digital illustration in pencil and watercolor. A woman with pink, curly hair climbs up a spiral staircase. She is trying to avoid medical bills that fall from above like heavy snowfall. The staircase is colored various shades of vibrant blues and darken s at the center to appear bottomless. The image looks to be a dreamscape or nightmare of medical debt.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-debt-avoid-how-to\/\">How to Get Rid of Medical Debt \u2014 Or Avoid It in the First Place<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Medical bills can add stress to the already stressful experience of dealing with a medical crisis. And if you can\u2019t pay those bills, they can linger, wreaking havoc on your financial goals and credit. Here\u2019s how to protect yourself.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/yuki-noguchi-npr-news\/\">Yuki Noguchi, NPR News<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2022-07-01T00:00:00+00:00\">July 1, 2022<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1515297 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry category-insurance category-medicaid tag-disparities tag-hospitals tag-investigation tag-legislation tag-medicaid-expansion tag-southern-bureau content-types-article funder-robert-wood-johnson-foundation state-north-carolina series-diagnosis-debt partner-npr\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1515297\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-bills-can-shatter-lives-north-carolina-may-act-to-de-weaponize-that-debt\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/06\/20220617_Med-Debt-NC_OTEMPEST.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/06\/20220617_Med-Debt-NC_OTEMPEST.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/06\/20220617_Med-Debt-NC_OTEMPEST.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/06\/20220617_Med-Debt-NC_OTEMPEST.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A digital illustration in pencil and watercolor. In the center of the image, there is a square. Within that square is a hospital room. A concerned woman wearing yellows stands beside a hospital bed, holding a briefcase. There is a partially-deflated balloon in the corner that reads \u201cGet Well!\u201d Outside the room, it is raining medical bills and debt collection notices.\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/medical-bills-can-shatter-lives-north-carolina-may-act-to-de-weaponize-that-debt\/\">Medical Bills Can Shatter Lives. North Carolina May Act to \u2018De-Weaponize\u2019 That Debt.<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Medical debt is most prevalent in the Southeast, where states have not expanded Medicaid and have few consumer protection laws. Now, North Carolina is considering two bills that could change that, making the state a leader in protecting patients from high medical bills.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/author\/aneri-pattani\/\">Aneri Pattani<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2022-06-21T00:00:00+00:00\">June 21, 2022<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-1515946 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-health-care-costs category-health-industry category-on-air tag-investigation tag-multimedia tag-video content-types-article series-diagnosis-debt\">\n\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--top wp-block-kff-shared-post-card--aligned  wp-block-kff-shared-post-card---variation-overlay wp-block-kff-shared-post-card\" id=\"post-1515946\" data-image-size=\"16:9\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/watch-diagnosis-debt-investigation-medical-bills-premature-birth-twins-interview-cbs-mornings\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail jetpack-lazy-image wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__thumbnail--ratio-16:9 \">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/06\/CBS-Mornings-Medical-Debt.jpg?w=250&amp;h=141&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/06\/CBS-Mornings-Medical-Debt.jpg?w=500&amp;h=282&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 500px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/06\/CBS-Mornings-Medical-Debt.jpg?w=834&amp;h=469&amp;crop=1 1x, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/06\/CBS-Mornings-Medical-Debt.jpg?w=1280&amp;h=720&amp;crop=1 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 500px)\">\t\t\t\t<img width=\"250\" height=\"141\" alt=\"A still from a video shows the Ward family sitting at a table. Text over the image reads, &quot;Medical debt crisis: Couple exhausts savings &amp; retirement after incurring medical debt.&quot;\">\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__main\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__heading large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/health-care-costs\/watch-diagnosis-debt-investigation-medical-bills-premature-birth-twins-interview-cbs-mornings\/\">Watch: Still Paying Off Bills From Twins&#8217; Birth. The Kids Are 10 Now.<\/a><\/h1>\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__description\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Marcus and Allyson Ward explain to &#8220;CBS Mornings&#8221; how the premature birth of their twins left them with $80,000 in medical debt. A new KHN-NPR investigation reveals they are among 100 million people afflicted financially by the U.S. health system.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__author-name-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-post-card__date\"><time datetime=\"2022-06-17T00:00:00+00:00\">June 17, 2022<\/time><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n<nav class=\"wp-block-query-pagination is-layout-flex wp-block-query-pagination-is-layout-flex\" aria-label=\"Pagination\">\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-query-pagination-numbers\"><span aria-current=\"page\" class=\"page-numbers current\">1<\/span>\n<a class=\"page-numbers\" href=\"?query-0-page=2\">2<\/a><\/div>\n\n<a href=\"\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1620731?query-0-page=2\" class=\"wp-block-query-pagination-next\">Next Page<\/a>\n<\/nav>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-audio-gallery\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70);font-size:54px\">Audio Gallery<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<iframe\n\tclass=\"block--iframe is-full-width\"\n\tallow=\"fullscreen\"\n\tframeborder=\"0\"\n\theight=\"250\"\n\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/player\/embed\/1104679219\/1105451267\"\n\twidth=\"100%\"\n><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<iframe\n\tclass=\"block--iframe is-full-width\"\n\tallow=\"fullscreen\"\n\tframeborder=\"0\"\n\theight=\"250\"\n\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/player\/embed\/1113369927\/1113369928\"\n\twidth=\"100%\"\n><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<iframe\n\tclass=\"block--iframe is-full-width\"\n\tallow=\"fullscreen\"\n\tframeborder=\"0\"\n\theight=\"250\"\n\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/player\/embed\/1126517118\/1126517119\"\n\twidth=\"100%\"\n><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<iframe\n\tclass=\"block--iframe is-full-width\"\n\tallow=\"fullscreen\"\n\tframeborder=\"0\"\n\theight=\"250\"\n\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/player\/embed\/1131984451\/1132042080\"\n\twidth=\"100%\"\n><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<iframe\n\tclass=\"block--iframe is-full-width\"\n\tallow=\"fullscreen\"\n\tframeborder=\"0\"\n\theight=\"300\"\n\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/player\/embed\/1142601526\/1143656868\"\n\twidth=\"100%\"\n><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<iframe\n\tclass=\"block--iframe is-full-width\"\n\tallow=\"fullscreen\"\n\tframeborder=\"0\"\n\theight=\"250\"\n\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/player\/embed\/1106863260\/1106863261\"\n\twidth=\"100%\"\n><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<iframe\n\tclass=\"block--iframe is-full-width\"\n\tallow=\"fullscreen\"\n\tframeborder=\"0\"\n\theight=\"250\"\n\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/player\/embed\/1093769295\/1117484496\"\n\twidth=\"100%\"\n><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<iframe\n\tclass=\"block--iframe is-full-width\"\n\tallow=\"fullscreen\"\n\tframeborder=\"0\"\n\theight=\"250\"\n\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/player\/embed\/1125446666\/1129791951\"\n\twidth=\"100%\"\n><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<iframe\n\tclass=\"block--iframe is-full-width\"\n\tallow=\"fullscreen\"\n\tframeborder=\"0\"\n\theight=\"250\"\n\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/player\/embed\/1144064867\/1144064868\"\n\twidth=\"100%\"\n><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-diagnosis-debt-featured-on-cbs\" style=\"margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);font-size:54px\">&#8220;Diagnosis: Debt&#8221; Featured on CBS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignfull is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XuMuj50b3zA?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MtWIvbxl-iE?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7FAr1EEeAec?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-text-color is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"color:#111111\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-about-the-project\" style=\"margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);font-size:54px\">About the Project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cDiagnosis: Debt\u201d is a reporting partnership between KFF Health News and NPR exploring the scale, impact, and causes of medical debt in America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The series draws on original polling by KFF, court records, federal data on hospital finances, contracts obtained through public records requests, data on international health systems, and a yearlong investigation into the financial assistance and collection policies of more than 500 hospitals across the country.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additional research was&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.urban.org\/research\/publication\/which-county-characteristics-predict-medical-debt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">conducted by the Urban Institute<\/a>, which analyzed credit bureau and other demographic data on poverty, race, and health status for KFF Health News to explore where medical debt is concentrated in the U.S. and what factors are associated with high debt levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The JPMorgan Chase Institute&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpmorganchase.com\/institute\/research\/healthcare\/spending-during-the-pandemic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">analyzed records<\/a>&nbsp;from a sampling of Chase credit card holders to look at how customers\u2019 balances may be affected by major medical expenses. And the CED Project, a Denver nonprofit, worked with KFF Health News on a survey of its clients to explore links between medical debt and housing instability.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>KFF Health News journalists worked with KFF public opinion researchers to design and analyze the \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/health-costs\/report\/kff-health-care-debt-survey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">KFF Health Care Debt Survey<\/a>.\u201d The survey was conducted Feb. 25 through March 20, 2022, online and via telephone, in English and Spanish, among a nationally representative sample of 2,375 U.S. adults, including 1,292 adults with current health care debt and 382 adults who had health care debt in the past five years. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for the full sample and 3 percentage points for those with current debt. For results based on subgroups, the margin of sampling error may be higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reporters from KFF Health News and NPR also conducted hundreds of interviews with patients across the country; spoke with physicians, health industry leaders, consumer advocates, debt lawyers, and researchers; and reviewed scores of studies and surveys about medical debt.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color has-text-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"color:#111111\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-credits\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);font-size:54px\">Credits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-not-stacked-on-mobile is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-right\" id=\"h-reporters\" style=\"font-size:20px\">Reporters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\">Noam N. Levey<br>Aneri Pattani<br>Bram Sable-Smith<br>Megan Kalata<br>Anna Back<br>Margaret Ferguson<br>Amber Cole<br>Yuki Noguchi, NPR<br>Robert Benincasa, NPR<br>Nick McMillan, NPR<br>Anna Werner, CBS News<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-right\" id=\"h-data-visualization\" style=\"font-size:20px\">Data Visualization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\">Juweek Adolphe<br>Alyson Hurt, NPR<br>Daniel Wood, NPR<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-right\" id=\"h-illustrators\" style=\"font-size:20px\">Illustrators<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\">Oona Tempest<br>Jesse Zhang<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-right\" id=\"h-photographers\" style=\"font-size:20px\">Photographers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\">Heather Ainsworth<br>Carlos Bernate<br>Laura Buckman<br>Jamar Coach<br>Logan Cyrus<br>Pasquale D\u2019Angiolillo<br>Taylor Glascock<br>Darren Hauck<br>Dawnee Lebeau<br>Ash Ponders<br>Eamon Queeney<br>Juan Diego Reyes<br>Julia Robinson<br>Olivia Sun<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-editors\" style=\"font-size:20px\">Editors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Kelly Johnson<br>Taunya English<br>Terry Byrne<br>Eric Harkleroad<br>Kathleen Hayden<br>David Hicks<br>Lynne Shallcross<br>Lydia Zuraw<br>Paula Andalo<br>Mary Agnes Carey<br>Rebecca Adams<br>Ngoc Nguyen<br>Carmel Wroth, NPR<br>Jane Greenhalgh, NPR<br>Meredith Rizzo, NPR<br>Nicole Keller, CBS News<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\" id=\"h-social-and-engagement\" style=\"font-size:20px\">Social and Engagement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Chaseedaw Giles<br>Hannah Norman<br>Tarena Lofton<br>Krishna Sharma<br>Matt Adams, NPR<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Featured Stories Debt At A Glance Tell Us About Your Medical Debt Have you been forced into debt because of a medical or dental bill? Have you had to make any changes in your life because of such debt? Have you been pursued by debt collectors for a medical bill? We want to hear about [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":99279322,"featured_media":1784768,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-no-title.php","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"_classifai_error":"","_classifai_text_to_speech_error":"","hide_from_search":false,"search_keywords":"","authoring_info":[],"show_featured_image":false,"republication-tracker-tool-hide-widget":false,"subheading":"","tag":"","shortlink":"","_use_transparent_header":true,"_header_mode":"dark","funders_suppress":false,"funders_override_text":false,"funders_override_text_content":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"content-types":[439530968],"coauthors":[259825698],"class_list":["post-1620731","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","content-types-page"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","pp_force_visibility":null,"pp_subpost_visibility":null,"pp_inherited_force_visibility":null,"pp_inherited_subpost_visibility":null,"pp_post_mime_type":"","yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Diagnosis: Debt - KFF Health News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Featured Stories Debt At A Glance Tell Us About Your Medical Debt Have you been forced into debt because of a medical or dental bill? 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