Listening to Hoosiers: New Mothers & Medical Debt

The transition to parenthood should be a joyful time, not one that is spent dealing with the financial strain of waves of medical bills. The Indiana Community Action Poverty Institute collaborated with Indiana Health Fund, Dr. Jacqueline Wiltshire at IU Fairbanks School of Public Health, and Deborah Fisher and Donjarica Walton, Grassroots MCH Leaders, on a project to study pregnant and postpartum women's experiences with health care costs and debt. In this short publication, Hoosier mothers discuss the causes and consequences of medical debt during pregnancy and early parenthood.

October 2024 | Download PDF

Medical Debt In Indiana

Hoosiers should be able to go to the doctor or purchase medicine without worrying about crushing medical bills. Unfortunately, the burden of medical debt is particularly acute in Indiana. This report discusses the health and social impacts of medical debt, explains how individuals become indebted, provides data about financially vulnerable Hoosiers and statewide trends, summarizes recent government and private action, and recommends policy solutions to address rising medical debt.