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How to get relief from high hospital bills

David White, who after kidney surgery got hit with a lot of extra charges, sits for a portrait with some of his medical bill charges in the foreground, at his home in Temple Hills, Md., Monday, June 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
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AP
David White, who after kidney surgery got hit with a lot of extra charges, sits for a portrait with some of his medical bill charges in the foreground, at his home in Temple Hills, Md., Monday, June 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

More than 20 million Americans are behind on their medical bills. And a survey conducted last year by the group Economic Action Maryland found that 14 percent of Marylanders have medical debt they cannot repay.

That existing debt, and fears of accruing new debt, cause some folks to avoid seeking hospital treatment.

But Maryland has laws designed to protect patients and Economic Action Maryland has put out a guide to inform them of their rights. We speak with the nonprofit's executive director, Marceline White.

LINKS:
Guide to Medical Debt

WYPR's Morning Edition news anchor Ashley Sterner serves up the latest Maryland news and weather every weekday morning, delightfully interspersed with the occasional snarky comment.
Maureen Harvie is Senior Supervising Producer for On the Record. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and joined WYPR in 2014 as an intern for the newsroom. Whether coordinating live election night coverage, capturing the sounds of a roller derby scrimmage, interviewing veterans, or booking local authors, she is always on the lookout for the next story.