As the leading cause of bankruptcy in the U.S., medical debt impacts the financial lives of millions of vulnerable Americans each year. There are a number of immediate actions for healthcare stakeholders – including hospitals and health systems, insurers, and employers – to take to prevent medical debt and its devastating impacts. By working to prevent medical debt, organizations can support consumer health and well-being while also strengthening loyalty, trust, and community reputation.

This year’s annual FinHealth Spend Report examines how households in America managed their finances and accessed credit during the second year of the pandemic, analyzing year-over-year trends for more than two dozen financial products and services.

Direct government payments can provide meaningful support for the financial health of households. In the case of the 2021 expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC), advance CTC payments reduced monthly child poverty by nearly 30%, according to research from Columbia University.