Commonwealth Fund January 22, 2026
TOPLINES
Federal protections against medical debt are weakening, just as financial pressures on patients are set to intensify in 2026
States are advancing a growing set of medical debt protections, including expanding hospital financial assistance, capping interest on patient bills, and keeping medical debt out of credit reports
Medical or dental bills that patients cannot afford to pay have left millions of Americans financially vulnerable and facing more than $220 billion in medical debt. While the uninsured are most at risk, many patients with insurance increasingly find they are unable to afford their cost-sharing responsibilities. Recent federal policy changes, including the expiration of Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits and cuts to Medicaid and marketplace funding, will only...
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