Yuki Noguchi, NPR News

Author's posts

New York Joins Local Governments in Erasing Billions in Medical Debt

New York City is the latest jurisdiction to buy and forgive a backlog of unpaid medical bills for its residents. Local governments across the country, including in the Chicago area, are doing the same to reduce debt burdens for lower-income residents.

Kids’ Mental Health Care Leaves Parents in Debt and in the Shadows

A youth mental health crisis and a shortage of therapists and other care providers who take insurance are pushing many families into financial ruin. But it’s rarely acknowledged as medical debt.

Haunted for 13 Years by Debt From Childbirth, Then Rescued by a Nonprofit

Terri Logan, 42, Spartanburg, South Carolina Approximate Medical Debt: $1,400, now $0 Medical Issue: Premature childbirth What Happened: Two months ahead of her due date with her second daughter, Terri Logan felt weighed down by stress. She was a high school math teacher in Union City, Georgia, and was ending her relationship with the baby’s […]

After Wiping Out $6.7 Billion in Medical Debt, This Nonprofit Is Just Getting Started

Nonprofit RIP Medical Debt buys up unpaid hospital bills plaguing low-income patients and frees them from having to pay.

How to Get Rid of Medical Debt — Or Avoid It in the First Place

Medical bills can add stress to the already stressful experience of dealing with a medical crisis. And if you can’t pay those bills, they can linger, wreaking havoc on your financial goals and credit. Here’s how to protect yourself.