$2.4 billion. That’s how much medical debt Arizonans owe. This four-part series examines the extent of the problem, the effect of health insurance on medical debt, and the predictors and consequences of medical debt.
Medical debt is a significant and wide-spread problem in Arizona that causes substantial financial hardship. It also results in delays in people obtaining needed health care. What’s surpising: health insurance is no guarantee against medical debt. Health status, income, age, and whether or not children are in the household are better predictors of medical debt than health insurance.
