February 22, 2008
The purpose of this study is to investigate the gaps in coverage and the systemic problems that cause insured people to accrue medical debt, as well as the consequences of the debt for individuals and families. The findings are based on in-depth interviews with 45 people in seven states who had accrued medical debt while they were privately insured, either through an employersponsored or an individually purchased plan. The findings are summarized below. However, because summary fi ndings cannot easily convey the complexity of our interviewees’ experiences, we recommend that all readers also review the stories and comments in the body of the report. To facilitate this process, we have highlighted some of the stories and comments within the text. Our interviews suggest that medical debt among the insured results from a variety of causes and the interaction of a number of factors, including the adequacy of people’s insurance plans, the nature of their medical needs, the cost of their treatments, and their fi nancial resources. In all cases, however, interviewees found that their insurance failed to fulfi ll its primary function—to protect them from fi nancial losses and guarantee access to needed care when they became ill.
Posted by Gary Holden at February 22, 2008 7:46 PM