You Can’t Afford to Get Sick: How the Medical Debt Crisis Is Crushing Americans in 2025

I’m Insured—And Still Paying $162 a Session for Therapy

I have insurance. And I still pay $162 out of pocket every session just to keep my therapist.

Why? Because when I left my old job for my new one, my insurance and, therefore my coverage, changed. Suddenly, the provider I’d built a year of trust and emotional progress with—my lifeline during some of the most unraveling moments of my life—was no longer covered.

I searched the plan’s network. Called around. Hit dead ends. And when I asked myself if I could really start over with someone new, the answer was no.

It often takes 12 or more sessions just to build basic rapport with a new therapist. That’s three months of re-explaining your trauma before the healing can even begin.

So I made a choice: I kept my therapist and agreed to pay $162 per session. It was a discount—down from $996—but I only got that reduced rate because I asked. I told them honestly that I couldn’t afford their rate, and they worked with me.

That’s the medical debt crisis in action—not just catastrophic emergencies, but quiet, everyday decisions like this.

When you're trying to tackle those medical bills.

How We Got Here: The Medical Debt Crisis Isn’t an Accident

Medical debt doesn’t happen because people are irresponsible. It happens because the system is designed to overwhelm you.

Insurance ≠ Access

Even with coverage, patients face:

• High deductibles ($3,000–$10,000+)

• Surprise billing from out-of-network providers

• Mental health exclusions and poor reimbursement

• Opaque pricing that makes it hard to plan or prepare

Staggering Statistics:

• 100+ million Americans currently carry medical debt

• ⅔ of personal bankruptcies cite medical costs as a major factor

• Black and Latino families are disproportionately affected

And mental health care? It’s often treated like a luxury. Many therapists can’t afford to take insurance, and patients are left scrambling—or paying steep fees.

What You Can Do: Smart Moves in a Broken System

Until we overhaul the system, here’s how to protect yourself:

🧾 1. Know Your Rights

Recent policy changes offer some relief:

• Medical debt under $500 is no longer reported to credit bureaus

• Paid medical debt is removed from credit reports

• You get 12 months before new medical debt is reported

And if you're at a nonprofit hospital, they’re legally required to offer financial assistance—but you often have to ask.

👉 File a complaint if your provider breaks these rules

💳 2. Pay With Strategy—Not Panic

Medical bills are negotiable. Always try this first:

• Ask for an itemized bill (you’ll likely find errors)

• Request a cash discount—20–40% is common

• Apply for financial aid through the billing office

• Set up a 0% interest payment plan directly with the provider

⚠️ Avoid putting medical bills on credit cards unless you've exhausted other options. This turns flexible, often interest-free debt into high-interest consumer debt with fewer protections.

⏳ 3. Don’t Delay Care—Delay Collections

• Ask the billing department to pause collections

• Keep detailed notes of all calls, emails, and promises

• Reach out to your state’s consumer protection office if needed

🗳️ 4. Advocate for Policy Change

We need systemic reform. Start by contacting your elected officials and supporting:

• Permanent removal of medical debt from credit reports

• Medicaid expansion in all states

• Transparent, capped pricing for medical and mental health care

👉 Find your representatives here

This Isn’t Just About Bills. It’s About Dignity.

I didn’t keep my therapist because I was careless with money. I kept her because I was finally healing. Because I refused to let a billing code dictate my emotional safety.

You shouldn’t have to choose between your health and your financial security.

If you're drowning in bills:

• Ask for a discount

• Apply for assistance

• Don’t swipe your card out of panic

• Speak out—because your voice pushes the system toward change

✅ Quick Resources:

• CFPB Medical Debt Toolkit

• Charity Care at Nonprofit Hospitals

• Medical Debt & Your Credit Score