She works in healthcare and pays $787 a month for insurance. She still can't afford her daughter's care.

"Nelson is a single mother of four in Camilla, a small town in southwest Georgia. She estimates that her medical debt exceeds $10,000, though she said the total is likely much higher. The ongoing cost of her daughter's care is a constant source of stress and has affected the family's ability to afford groceries, rent, and household expenses."

"She is one of over 100 million Americans saddled with medical bills they can't pay. Healthcare debt is among the top causes of personal bankruptcy in the US, and a 2024 analysis of government data by KFF found that millennials and Gen X carry the most debt compared to other generations. Black Americans and people living in rural areas are at the highest risk."

"Collection agencies can't legally charge interest on medical bills, but they can report the information to credit bureaus if the balance is over $500 for at least one year. Nelson said her credit score has tumbled because her debt is above this threshold. The cost of care is backbreaking, even with her employer-sponsored insurance plan."

Cassenda Nelson, a 47-year-old single mother of four in rural Georgia, carries over $10,000 in medical debt from her 16-year-old daughter's complex health conditions. Despite having employer-sponsored insurance, steep premiums and ongoing care costs force her to choose between medical bills and basic necessities like food, rent, and utilities. Her credit score has suffered significantly as collection agencies report debts exceeding $500 held for over one year to credit bureaus. Nelson represents one of over 100 million Americans struggling with medical debt. Healthcare debt ranks among the top causes of personal bankruptcy in the US, with millennials and Gen X carrying the most debt. Black Americans and rural residents face disproportionate risk, with approximately 14% of debt holders owing at least $10,000.

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