Understanding the Impact of Medical Debt on Under-Resourced Communities: A Conversation with Jenifer Bosco
41 percent of working-age Americans—or 72 million people—have medical bill problems or are paying off medical debt, up from 34 percent in 2005. If you add in the 7 million elderly adults who are also dealing with these issues, a total of 79 million Americans have medical bill or debt problems. (commonwealthfund.org)
In the latest episode of The Healthy Project Podcast, I spoke with Jenifer Bosco, Senior Attorney at the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC), to discuss the root causes of medical debt and discuss practical solutions to address this issue.
Why Medical Debt is So Dangerous
One of the key takeaways from our discussion is that medical debt doesn’t just hurt people financially; it prevents them from seeking care. Many people are so afraid of the potential bills that they delay or avoid necessary treatment. This is particularly true for low-income communities, where the financial burden can feel overwhelming.
During our conversation, Jenifer emphasized the fear and anxiety that medical debt creates, often causing individuals to put off vital healthcare decisions.
What Healthcare Systems Can Do
Hospitals, especially nonprofit ones, have a responsibility to offer financial assistance to those in need. However, many patients are unaware of these programs, or the process to access them is overly complicated. Jenifer stressed the importance of making these resources more accessible to patients who qualify for help.
Insurance companies also play a critical role in alleviating medical debt. High deductibles and coverage gaps are common problems that leave people with large out-of-pocket expenses. Expanding programs like Medicaid can significantly reduce the number of people facing overwhelming healthcare costs.
Advocating for Change
Medical debt reform is happening at the state level, and it’s up to us to support these efforts. States like Maryland and Colorado are already passing laws to protect consumers from aggressive debt collection practices, and more can be done. Jenifer encouraged listeners to get involved, raise their voices, and hold healthcare providers and insurance companies accountable for fair treatment.
For a deeper dive into this important conversation, you can listen to the full episode of The Healthy Project Podcast here or watch it on YouTube here.
Let’s continue the conversation on how we can address medical debt, advocate for health equity, and ensure that no one has to choose between their health and financial stability.
#MedicalDebt #HealthcareEquity #FinancialAssistance #DebtRelief #HealthPolicy #TheHealthyProjectPodcast
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