People with medical debts are more likely to have trouble paying rent or face eviction.
A new study reveals that Americans with medical debt have a 44 percent higher chance of experiencing housing problems in the next year, reports Mark Huffman in Consumer Affairs.
The study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that “Of the 240 participants who said they had medical debt in 2024, 60 reported experiencing housing instability the following year. Renters were particularly affected, accounting for about two in five adults with medical debt in 2025.”
Financial stressors affect health and well-being in other ways, in many cases preventing people from accessing mental health care and medical treatments. “Some surveys have found that medical bills are the most common financial factor cited by individuals who file for bankruptcy, though the exact share is hard to determine.”
FULL STORY: Medical debt linked to housing instability
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Journal of the American Planning Association