Medical Debt, Stress, and Life Satisfaction

~ Columbine ~

In the United States, 19% of residents have outstanding medical bills, totaling $140 billion owed. Consequently, of those with medical debts, 44% depleted their savings, hindering their ability to meet their basic financial needs. Although the expansion of Medicare/Medicaid in the Affordable Care Act in 2021 did decrease medical debt, 28 million Americans are still left uninsured. Regardless of the high percentage of US citizens with insurance coverage, 43.3% of working-age adults (19 to 64) were underinsured. The present study examines the relationships between medical debt, psychological stress, and life satisfaction while utilizing health insurance status as a factor.