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Dear Fellow Vermonter,
Want to hear something absurd?
In our broken health care system, medical debt is the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in our country. It’s not blowing all your savings at a casino in Las Vegas. It’s not buying a bunch of fancy cars or a home you can’t afford. It’s getting treatment in a hospital for cancer or some other terrible disease.
Medical debt.
In fact, 8 million Americans slipped out of the middle class and into poverty in 2018 because of the outrageous cost of medical care. Nearly 75% of people in America today are worried about being able to afford an unexpected medical bill. The situation has become so horrific that 1 out of every 4 cancer patients in America either lost their home or went bankrupt in 2022 because of medical debt, while 42% of cancer patients depleted their life savings within two years of their diagnosis.
Getting sick in America should not mean going bankrupt, losing your home, or your life savings. Not in the richest country in the world. Not anywhere. That is why I have introduced legislation to eliminate medical debt for millions of people in Vermont and across the country. And that is why, on Thursday, I will be holding a hearing on this crisis.
It would be very helpful for me and Congress to hear about your experience with medical debt and how expensive medical care has impacted you and your family. If you would like to share your story with the Buzz, CLICK HERE.
I look forward to reading your responses!
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