{"id":2638569,"date":"2026-08-01T07:25:04","date_gmt":"2026-08-01T11:25:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/patient-debt-adds-stress-to-already-tenuous-economy\/"},"modified":"2026-08-01T07:39:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T11:39:42","slug":"patient-debt-adds-stress-to-already-tenuous-economy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/patient-debt-adds-stress-to-already-tenuous-economy\/","title":{"rendered":"Patient debt adds stress to already tenuous economy"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fpatient-debt-adds-stress-to-already-tenuous-economy%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2638569&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses the worsening state of the American healthcare system,highlighting increasing medical debt,rising healthcare costs,and policy changes that have negatively impacted coverage and affordability. It notes that recent policy shifts, such as the expiration of ACA tax credits and the enactment of the One big Gorgeous Bill Act (OBBBA), have led to more uninsured and underinsured individuals, forcing many to choose between healthcare and basic living expenses. despite widespread recognition of these issues among voters, political gridlock hampers efforts to implement meaningful solutions. The piece also examines proposals like medical loans and policies aimed at increasing clarity and competition,but many experts believe these are superficial stopgaps that do not address the root structural problems. the article underscores a situation where patients are caught in a tug-of-war between insurers and providers, with limited political will to enact meaningful reforms.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many people say the American healthcare system is largely broken, or at least facing seemingly intractable problems. But it could get worse, compounded by policies of President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s administration on medical debt and inaction by <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congress\/\">Congress<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Expiration of tax credits from the Affordable Care Act at 2025\u2019s end restricted who could claim <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/medicaid\/\">Medicaid<\/a> assistance. That left those covered by Obamacare increasingly facing difficult choices of sucking up extra expenses \u2014 while also covering the basics of life, such as rent and food costs \u2014 or even forgoing coverage altogether. All of which compounded an already deep medical debt crisis.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/business\/4669119\/minocqua-brewing-company-promise-free-beer-trump-dies-license-revoked\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Wisconsin\u2019s Minocqua Brewing Company, which promised free beer when Trump dies, has license revoked<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/business\/4666591\/mbc-mamdani-taxpayer-funded-grocery-stores-lawsuit-competition-complaints\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Immigrant business group to sue over Mamdani\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/immigrant-business-group-to-sue-over-mamdani-state-owned-grocery-stores\/\" title=\"Immigrant business group to sue over Mamdani state-owned grocery stores\">taxpayer-funded grocery stores<\/a>: Report<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/business\/4666480\/boeing-3-billion-losses-air-force-one\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Boeing reaches $3 billion in losses while building new Air Force One<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It isn\u2019t just the recently uninsured, either. It\u2019s increasingly people who are opting for relatively cheaper premiums, but who then face much higher deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket costs for any care. Making for a growing volume of the so-called underinsured people.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe focus on bringing down health insurance costs is driven by the philosophy that, for premium costs to go down, people need to be incentivized to stay healthy,\u201d said Jack Glasker, owner of New Jersey-based brokerage Affordable Health Care Solutions. \u201cWe see evidence of this in MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) but, despite the initiative and the potentiality of its long-term effects, benefit health plans are being given more freedom to offload the cost-sharing burden through higher deductibles and MOOPs (maximum out of pocket) to the consumer.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Together with the decreased subsidies from the ACA, \u201cthis is what we see as the leading cause of rising patient medical debt,\u201d Glasker said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\">(Washington Examiner illustration; Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/08\/localimages\/Biz.080526.jpg?w=696&#8243; height=&#8221;658&#8243; width=&#8221;1024&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Washington Examiner illustration; Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Enactment of Trump\u2019s signature domestic achievement in his second, nonconsecutive term, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, may be making the medical debt problem worse. OBBBA, which Trump signed into law on July 4, 2025, significantly reshaped U.S. healthcare by cutting nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid. It also imposed stricter insurance enrollment rules and reduced hospital funding. Critics contend these changes are causing a massive rise in uncompensated care costs, more people losing health insurance, and an increase in medical debt for individuals nationwide.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under the law\u2019s healthcare provisions, up to one-third of patients may be either holding off on or even canceling medical treatments due to financial stress. Some patients are also avoiding necessary exams, check-ups, and treatments.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIdeally, no one should have to choose between healthcare and living expenses, but it is an all-too-common occurrence since sweeping OBBBA changes left many on the sidelines,\u201d said Rene Hermes, cofounder and chief operations officer at Chicago-based family medicine clinic Hermes Health.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republicans praise OBBBA as delivering core conservative promises. They note the law makes tax cuts permanent, expands the child tax credit, and implements tax exemptions on tips, overtime, and auto loan interest. They note these provisions, and others provide direct relief for working-class people.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"h-political-paralysis\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Political paralysis<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While sources universally pointed out that rising healthcare costs, including patient debt, are a core issue for voters, there seems to be little appetite for lawmakers to do much about it, at least for now. This may be particularly true with incumbent Republicans, said Joel White, a GOP health strategist and president of the Council for Affordable Health Coverage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The solutions are out there, he insists \u2014 there are, he says, over 100 active healthcare bills being discussed that could lower costs \u2014 but some people in Congress are running scared of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Democrats are favored to win a House majority and have a fighting shot at gaining control of the Senate, with Trump\u2019s approval ratings falling amid the Iran war, sluggish economy, and other challenges.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most urgent thing is to \u201caddress competition issues,\u201d he said. \u201cBut Congress is not there yet.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Policies such as TrumpRx, where he says prescription drugs can be sold to patients at up to 95% off list price, are a good start, White said. Yet such purchases cannot be used against a patient\u2019s deductible, as TrumpRx is not, strictly speaking, a federal program such as Medicare or Medicaid. Rather, it\u2019s a federal portal that directs consumers to manufacturer-negotiated discounts and coupons on brand-name and generic drugs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">White sees it as another example of a lack of competition in the healthcare market, which is squeezing out the consumer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe transparency is great, but we need to change federal rules that are standing in the way of the consumer,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, as structural problems continue not to get adequately addressed in healthcare, patients are facing a grim future. Certainly, in the shorter-term, anyway, with rising costs and less coverage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is an unsustainable situation, argues Seth Cohen, president of Cedar, which helps patients find better solutions for their healthcare finances. He says rising medical debt amid substantially increasing premiums is placing even greater pressure on families and the healthcare sector generally, not to mention the overall economy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAbout half of U.S. adults say they could not cover an unexpected $500 medical bill without going into debt,\u201d he said, citing Kaiser Family Foundation data. \u201cThat is not a population built to withstand premiums doubling.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-will-loans-help\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Will loans help?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There has been a move within the administration to suggest struggling patients set up loans with their health insurance company to help pay off rising debt. But this is, at the very least, a stopgap measure, some sources say. Others are more vocal about that simply being a bad idea.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Given the probability of such loans involving interest, such a move would not likely help patients. Some of whom can already access no- or low-interest medical bill plans in certain states.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The idea of loans is not new, said Seth Cohen at Cedar. How such new loan programs could be structured would be key.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf interest-bearing loans become the default path, the better option patients already have could quietly get crowded out,\u201d he said. \u201cLow or no interest is the line. On the right side of it, financing is a bridge. On the wrong side, it is one more bill the patient cannot pay.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Financing is unlikely to help the overall situation, said Yahya Khan, founder of Austin-based medical billing specialist Alliance Medical Revenue Group.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn my view, financing doesn\u2019t solve the problem; it simply spreads it out and, in some cases, adds interest to an already difficult situation,\u201d he said. \u201cThe bigger issue is the growing gap between the cost of care and what insurance actually covers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Medical debt, of course, affects patients the most, but it also affects healthcare providers, too, he added. When such providers can\u2019t collect patient balances, they may have to cut services, stop certain insurance plans, or even close.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn the end, medical debt isn\u2019t just a financial burden for patients,\u201d he said. \u201cIt can reduce access to care for entire communities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, with patient debt rising, and seemingly little political impetus to really address the deep structural problems in the U.S. healthcare system, the consumer will likely find themselves increasingly in the middle of the power battle between healthcare providers and insurance companies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3815067\/trump-terrorist-organizations-antifa-tren-de-aragua-ms-13-houthis\/\">HERE ARE THE GROUPS TRUMP HAS DESIGNATED AS TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether there are purer market-based solutions or others relying on introducing shorter-term measures to possibly address rising debt, such as the proposed loan system, the patient remains disempowered, whatever their political stripe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe system is a war between two Goliaths, the insurers and the providers, who are constantly lobbing rockets at each other,\u201d said Eli Rushbanks, director of policy advocacy at Vancouver, Washington-based Dollar For, a nonprofit organization helping reduce patient bills. \u201cThe patients are just trying to live in that city, but they are collateral damage.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Nick Thomas (<\/em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/nickthomas.journoportfolio.com\/\"><em>https:\/\/nickthomas.journoportfolio.com\/<\/em><\/a><em>) is a writer based in the United Kingdom.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>US healthcare faces worsening debt and coverage issues<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3127,"featured_media":2638570,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Biz.080526.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[5487,9168,4964,4606,53675],"class_list":["post-2638569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-debt","tag-economy","tag-health","tag-healthcare","tag-stress-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Biz.080526.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2638569","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3127"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2638569"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2638569\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2638574,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2638569\/revisions\/2638574"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2638570"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2638569"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2638569"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2638569"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}