Some lost their homes. Some emptied their retirement accounts. Some struggled to feed and clothe their families. Medical debt now touches more than 100 million people in America, as the U.S. health care system pushes patients into debt on a mass scale. Debtors are from all walks of life and all corners of the country.
Here are their stories ― how they got into debt, what they’ve given up for it, and how they’re living with the burden.
An Air Force career held up because of debt owed for medical bills
