How Medical Debt Is Pummeling Americans
Medical debt poses a punishing burden for a growing share of American families. One estimate found that more than 100 million Americans have some kind of medical debt, and the crisis will grow worse if Congress does not extend the premium subsidies that have made Affordable Care Act plans far more affordable for some 24 million Americans. Historically, uninsured patients drove up the most medical debt, but now people with health insurance represent the majority of those with medical debt. This trend is driven by the growing problem of underinsurance and medical care cost inflation. Sharply rising premiums, high-deductible plans, out-of-pocket costs and surprise bills have combined with higher prices to push many families into a financial trap that can be impossible to escape. Those with medical debt also increasingly face aggressive collection tactics by hospitals willing to take patients to court and garnish wages for unpaid debts. Such practices can leave those still reeling from a medical crisis unable to buy groceries or keep the lights on, fueling inequities and thrusting families deeper into poverty. In this webinar, we’ll hear strategies for covering this important story from two reporters who have done pioneering investigative reporting on America’s current medical debt crisis. Their insights and ideas can be applied in any community to help journalists cover this growing issue for their audiences.
This webinar is free and made possible by The Commonwealth Fund and The California Endowment.
Panelists
Rae Ellen Bichell, Colorado correspondent for KFF Health News, is based in Longmont. Previously, she was a radio reporter covering the region for the Mountain West News Bureau and KUNC. Before moving to Colorado, Rae worked for NPR. She gained experience in the newsrooms of Nashville Public Radio and KNKX in Seattle and has filed stories from Australia, Finland, and Lithuania. She is a graduate of Yale University.
Jessica Glenza is a senior health reporter for The Guardian in New York and a fellow at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard, where she is studying the intersection of law, medicine and politics in U.S. health care financing. She is especially interested in how race, class and geography intersect with Americans’ health. Her work has won multiple awards and honors, including from the National Press Club and the Gracie Awards. She has been with the Guardian since 2014. She started her career as a crime reporter in Torrington, CT graduated from SUNY Purchase College, and is a native of St. Petersburg, Florida.
Suggested reading
“AI-backed patient financing firm portrays payment plans as healthcare solution amid consumer group’s warnings,” by Jessica Glenza, The Guardian
“US medical debt financing groups vie to be ‘solution’ to struggling rural hospitals,” by Jessica Glenza, The Guardian
“Medical debt reforms threatened by Trump pause on new regulations,” by Jessica Glenza, The Guardian
“Medical Debt Affects Much of America, but Colorado Immigrants Are Hit Especially Hard,” by Rae Ellen Bichell and Lindsey Toomer, KFF Health News
“Doctors say they’ve apprehensively taken on job of preventing patients’ medical debt,” by Jessica Glenza, The Guardian
“A giant US hospital chain says it’s leading the fight against medical debt. Not all patients agree,” by Jessica Glenza, The Guardian
“US hospital chain vows to cancel medical debt for thousands of patients,” by Jessica Glenza, The Guardian
“Majority of debtors to US hospitals now people with health insurance,” by Jessica Glenza, The Guardian
“‘Don’t get sick. It’s too expensive’: medical debt is putting more Americans in financial crisis,” by Jessica Glenza, The Guardian
“Why this ex-collections agent wants to forgive US veterans’ medical debt,” by Jessica Glenza, The Guardian
“Nearly half of American adults faced medical bill issues in last year – survey,” by Jessica Glenza, The Guardian
“Workers’ Wages Siphoned To Pay Medical Bills, Despite Consumer Protections,” by Rae Ellen Bichell, KFF Health News
“Insurers Fight State Laws Restricting Surprise Ambulance Bills,” by Rae Ellen Bichell and Katheryn Houghton, KFF Health News