@ISIDEWITHQuestionsHealthcareStarted 5mos agoActive 18hrs ago

Should the government forgive all medical debt for Americans?

In August 2024 Kamala Harris announced that she would work with states to relieve people of their medical debt and “to help them avoid accumulating such debt in the future, because no one should go bankrupt just because they had the misfortune of becoming sick or hurt.” 15 million Americans have medical bills on their credit reports, according to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau research published in April. People in the U.S. owe at least $220 billion in medical debt, a February KFF analysis found.

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Response rates from 21.8k America voters.

54%
Yes
46%
No
54%
Yes
46%
No

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from America voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @9WFZVSZ from North Dakota  answered…4mos4MO

No, not all medical debts should be forgiven but based on income and living conditions parts of the debts could be forgiven

 @9W4KHMF from California  answered…4mos4MO

There should be an out of pocket cap. But not for elective procedures; gender transition, plastic surgery etc.

 @9WB2P73 from Ohio  answered…4mos4MO

All elective procedures shouldn't be forgiven (ie. Plastic surgery, cosmetic, etc). All legitimate medical procedures should be forgiven up to a certain amount.

 @9TRD4HS from California  answered…5mos5MO

The medical industry and medical insurance companies have definitely taken advantage of American but forgive ALL debts seems a bit absurd.

 @9WB26PP from Georgia  answered…4mos4MO

No, they shouldn't forgive ALL medical debt as this would put the country in even more debt, but they should work toward decreasing the amount of medical debt Americans have gradually.

 @9VCDMNH from California  answered…4mos4MO

No this is too expensive, and we would end up paying for it through taxes anyway. Despite its good intentions, the amount of medical debt that people have would put the U.S. in another depression or recession.

 @9V8VWDQ from Texas  answered…4mos4MO

To some degree, not all people are remotely capable of paying off their debts. A family should not be put into generational debt due to a single person having a serious illness.

 @B2S5S6B from Colorado  answered…6 days6D

Yes, but it would have to be a gradual transition, as the US is highly it debt. It’s the same as people getting hurt by other people; it’s not their fault.

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