Healthcare costs and medical debt adversely affect the financial lives of millions of vulnerable Americans each year, while financially struggling patients often experience worse health outcomes. Delivering better healthcare requires prioritizing patient financial health. Learn more about the intersection of health and financial health and discover new strategies to better support your patients, members, customers, or communities.
~1 in 6 Americans (18%) report medical debt in collections as of June 2020.
$140+ billion in medical debt burdens patients and their families across the country.
While the goal of the American health care system is to improve health and well-being, it triggers financial hardship for many people. One in five U.S. households have incurred medical debt, making it the most common form of unpaid bill for which consumers are contacted by debt collectors, and a reason why many people forgo getting the health care they need.
Vice President Kamala Harris to announce reforms across four areas to ease the burden of medical debt, giving more American families the opportunity to thrive
This report shines a light on employer decisions around health insurance and how those decisions have helped shape the medical debt crisis, explaining specific actions employers should take now to reduce employee financial stress while improving productivity and retention.
This report shows how the shifting health insurance landscape has helped shape the medical debt crisis, identifying specific actions insurers should take now to boost Americans’ confidence in their coverage and motivate them to pursue timely care that reduces the need for costlier services.
This report examines the role that hospitals and health systems play in the national medical debt crisis, identifying specific actions they should take now to prevent patients from experiencing debt-related declines in financial, physical, mental, and social health.
This report provides an issue overview of the national medical debt crisis, describing its prevalence and effects on consumers, how medical debt functions as a social determinant of health and driver of health inequities, opportunities to prevent it, and long-term strategies for impact.
Gain a deeper understanding of the evolving health and financial health needs of American households, with free access to research and insights based on transactional data, surveys, and other proprietary metrics.
Discover new solutions for supporting the financial health of people and families – developed, tested, and scaled in our Financial Solutions Lab. Improve patient outcomes, reduce inequities, and cultivate loyalty within your communities.
Collaborate with our researchers, behavioral science experts, and advisors to build data-driven financial health strategies that make sense for your healthcare organization and your patients or members.
Find upcoming events for healthcare providers, insurers, and other change-makers solving financial health challenges.
