Americans borrowed $74 billion to cover medical bills. Here's who paid the most.
About 31 million Americans borrowed money to pay for health care last year, accumulating $74 billion in medical debt, according to a survey published Wednesday.
The West Health-Gallup Healthcare survey found 12% of the nation's residents borrowed to pay for health care over the past year, and 58% were concerned they would rack up medical debt if they had a major health issue. The survey of 3,583 U.S. adults in 50 states and Washington D.C. was conducted over one week in November 2024.
Young adults, Black and Hispanic adults and women were more likely to borrow for health expenses, the survey said.
The rising number of Americans taking on medical debt comes as House Republicans have proposed $880 billion in savings and cuts from a congressional committee that oversees Medicaid, the federal health program for low-income and disabled people. And the future of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau − an agency that extended protections to consumers with medical debt − is uncertain after President Donald Trump fired Director Rohit Chopra and appointed a new director, Russell Vought, who paused the agency's work.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/03/05/gallup-americans-borrowed-74-billion-to-pay-health-bills/81079356007/
= new reply since forum marked as read
