Knowledge Tree
medical debt
Facts (58)
Sources
The Impacts of Individual and Household Debt on Health and Well ... apha.org Oct 25, 2021 53 facts
referenceJ.C. Wiltshire, K. Elder, C. Kiefe, and J.J. Allison studied medical debt and its financial consequences among older African American and White adults.
measurement43% of individuals with court debt also carry unpaid medical debts.
claimTypes of unsecured debt include student loans, medical debt, credit card debt, high-cost credit, legal financial obligations, and child support debt.
claimMedicaid expansions have been associated with lower levels of medical debt over time.
measurement16% of U.S. adults reported having medical debt in 2020.
measurementAmong adults over 65 years old and eligible for Medicare, 21% of Black respondents reported having medical debt, compared to 7% of White respondents.
measurementThe average amount of medical debt for Americans was $429 in 2020, which is a decrease from the peak of $827 in 2010.
measurementThe average amount of medical debt for Americans was $429 in 2020, a decrease from a peak of $827 in 2010.
referenceA study by J.C. Wiltshire, K. Elder, C. Kiefe, and J.J. Allison examined medical debt and its financial consequences among older African American and White adults.
claimMedical debt reduces access to health care services and often results in delayed care.
claimMedical debt prevalence is higher among Americans living in the South compared to the Northeast, and higher among individuals residing in low-income zip codes.
measurementA study of Arizona adults revealed that individuals with medical debt had six times the odds of forgoing needed medications and five times the odds of forgoing care compared to those without medical debt.
perspectiveThe federal government and Congress should cancel student, medical, and other forms of excessive debt for lower-income individuals, people of color, and other groups historically harmed by unsecured debt.
claimBlack adults are 2.6 times more likely to have medical debt than White adults and are more frequently contacted by debt collection agencies regarding medical debt.
measurementAmong adults over 65 years old and eligible for Medicare, 21% of Black respondents reported having medical debt, compared to 7% of White respondents.
referenceHerman PM, Rissi JJ, and Walsh ME studied the impact of health insurance status and medical debt on access to care in Arizona.
claimBlack adults are more likely than White adults to incur medical debt and to be contacted by a debt collection agency regarding that debt.
claimSpecific forms of debt, including student loans, medical debt, credit cards, high-cost credit (such as payday loans), legal financial obligations, and child support debt, are predictors of poor health in addition to overall levels of unsecured debt.
claimSpecific forms of debt, including student loans, medical debt, credit cards, high-cost credit (such as payday loans), legal financial obligations (LFOs), and child support debt, are predictors of poor health.
claimMedical debt reduces access to health care services and often results in delayed care.
measurementApproximately 20% of Americans report an inability to pay medical costs at the time of care, resulting in the receipt of charity care or the accumulation of medical debt.
claimMedical debt is the leading cause of personal bankruptcy and is associated with the risk of becoming homeless.
perspectiveHealth care providers should reduce the levels of medical debt they impose on patients and should not take patients’ assets into consideration when collecting medical debt.
measurementBlack adults have 2.6 times higher odds of having medical debt compared to White adults.
measurementA study of Arizona adults revealed that those with medical debt had six times the odds of forgoing needed medications and five times the odds of forgoing care compared to those without medical debt.
measurementBlack adults have 2.6 times higher odds of having medical debt than White adults.
perspectiveHealth care providers should reduce the levels of medical debt they impose on patients and should not consider patients' assets when collecting medical debt.
claimMedicaid expansions have been associated with lower levels of medical debt over time.
claimSpecific forms of debt, including student loans, medical debt, credit cards, high-cost credit (such as payday loans), legal financial obligations, and child support debt, are predictors of poor health.
perspectiveThe American Public Health Association recommends that the federal government and Congress cancel student, medical, and other types of excessive debt for lower-income people, people of color, and other groups harmed by unsecured debt.
claimApproximately 20% of Americans report being unable to pay medical costs at the time of care, resulting in the receipt of charity care or the accumulation of medical debt.
measurement43% of individuals with court debt also carry unpaid medical debts.
claimMedical debt is the leading cause of personal bankruptcy and is associated with an increased risk of becoming homeless.
perspectiveHealth care providers should reduce the levels of medical debt they impose on patients and should not consider patients' assets when collecting medical debt.
measurementThe average amount of medical debt for Americans was $429 in 2020, a decrease from a peak of $827 in 2010.
measurement16% of U.S. adults reported having medical debt in 2020.
claimMedical debt is higher among Americans living in the South compared to the Northeast, and higher among those living in low-income zip codes.
perspectiveThe American Public Health Association recommends that the federal government and Congress cancel student, medical, and other types of excessive debt for lower-income people, people of color, and other groups historically harmed by unsecured debt.
referenceHerman, Rissi, and Walsh published a study in the American Journal of Public Health regarding the impact of health insurance status and medical debt on access to care in Arizona.
referenceWiltshire et al. (2016) studied medical debt and its financial consequences among older African American and White adults.
claimMedicaid expansions are associated with lower levels of medical debt over time.
measurementAmong adults over 65 years old and eligible for Medicare, 21% of Black respondents reported having medical debt, compared to 7% of White respondents.
claimMedical debt reduces access to health care services and often results in delayed care.
claimMedical debt prevalence is higher among Americans living in the South compared to the Northeast, and higher among those living in low-income zip codes.
claimTypes of unsecured debt include student loans, medical debt, credit card debt, high-cost credit, legal financial obligations, and child support debt.
referenceMedical debt and health insurance status impact access to care in Arizona, according to a study by P.M. Herman, J.J. Rissi, and M.E. Walsh in the American Journal of Public Health.
claimTypes of unsecured debt include student loans, medical debt, credit card debt, high-cost credit, legal financial obligations, and child support debt.
claimBlack adults are more likely to incur medical debt and more likely to be contacted by a debt collection agency regarding medical debt than White adults.
measurementA study of Arizona adults revealed that those with medical debt had six times the odds of forgoing needed medications and five times the odds of forgoing care compared to those without medical debt.
claimMany families in the United States incur debt to pay down medical debt due to the absence of comprehensive health insurance.
measurementIn 2020, 16% of U.S. adults reported having medical debt.
measurementApproximately 20% of Americans report an inability to pay medical costs at the time of receiving care, resulting in the receipt of charity care or the accumulation of medical debt.
claimMedical debt is the leading cause of personal bankruptcy and is associated with the risk of becoming homeless.
Key 2025-2026 Regulatory Compliance and Lending Law Changes winnow.law Feb 17, 2026 4 facts
claimLenders that continue to use medical debt as a factor in credit decisions may face enforcement actions under consumer protection statutes and theories of unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices (UDAAP).
claimRegulators and legislators are prohibiting the use of medical debt in credit decisions, including underwriting, pricing, and eligibility determinations.
procedureCompliance and risk teams must audit credit scoring algorithms for medical debt variables, engage data science teams to recalibrate predictive models without medical obligations, and monitor Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidance on permissible underwriting criteria.
claimThe regulatory environment in 2025-2026 requires institutions to modernize risk models and technology stacks to address consumer protection priorities, including the ban on medical debt in credit decisions and HBPA compliance.
How the Psychological Burden of Debt Impacts Our Physical Health lithub.com Nov 20, 2025 1 fact
claimAmericans have experienced a rapid accumulation of various forms of debt, including medical, credit card, student loan, payday, and mortgage debt, since the 1980s.