Millions burdened with US medical debt

Many were pushed into bankruptcy, with nearly $200 billion amassed in collective dues

DENVER — After 19 lifesaving abdominal operations, Cindy Powers was driven into bankruptcy. As for Lindsey Vance, medical debt started stacking up after she crashed her skateboard and had to get nine stitches on her chin. And for Misty Castaneda, open heart surgery for a disease she had since birth saddled her with $200,000 in bills.

These are just three of an estimated 100 million people in the United States who have amassed nearly $200 billion in collective medical debt — almost the size of Greece's economy, the Kaiser Family Foundation said.

Now, lawmakers in at least a dozen states and Congress have pushed legislation to curtail the financial burden that has pushed many into untenable situations: forgoing needed care for fear of added debt, taking a second mortgage to pay for cancer treatment, or slashing grocery budgets to keep up with payments.