Medical Problems Contributed To Bankruptcies

A Harvard-led 2009 study found that medical problems contributed to 62.1 percent of U.S. bankruptcies filed in 2007, often combining treatment costs with income lost while someone was too sick to work. Researchers surveyed 2,314 filers, reviewed their court records, and interviewed 1,032 in detail. Even health insurance was not enough for many, since 77.9 percent had coverage when the illness began.

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