Underinsurance and Medical Debt

Medical debt is a contributing factor in more than half of consumer bankrupcies, researchers have found. That number is expected to increase as more Americans are uninsured or underinsured. Consumers are considered "underinsured" when they find their insurance policies either do not cover what they thought it would cover, or have high out-of-pocket costs that consumers must pay in order to receive care.

Health Access supports efforts to strengthen consumer protections in the insurance market to prevent underinsurance and medical debt.

Health Access Analysis

FACT SHEET: Protecting Consumers From Medical Debt (August 2009)