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Through this work, we’re providing a clear, comprehensive picture of the issue of medical debt issue in Missouri, approaching the topic from various viewpoints. This includes how medical debt affects consumer health care behavior, how having medical debt affects a person’s access to health care providers and services, and how this issue fits into our health care system.

What We’ve Done So Far

Medical Debt in Missouri (Focus Groups Report):
In December 2023, eight focus groups were held with Missourians who are experiencing medical debt. The goal was to highlight diverse voices on how medical debt affects household finances; health and health care; emotional, mental and physical well-being; and other aspects of people’s lives.

Medical Debt in Missouri: Findings from a Statewide Survey of Missouri Adults:
Findings from a 2024 survey on the impact of medical debt on Missourians’ lives.

Financial Assistance and Collections Policies at Missouri Hospitals (2025 Report)
How improved regulation and transparency can protect patients from medical debt.

Blog: Medical Debt Shouldn’t Haunt Your Health

Where We’re Headed

We will be hosting “Align for Access: Medical Debt & Hospital Policy,” a convening in which aim to bring together hospital representatives, advocates, and policy experts from the field to share the recent hospital medical debt study conducted by the Lown Institute, provide overview of findings and highlight best practices, and facilitate discussions around policy solutions that work for both Missouri hospitals, as well as better outcomes for Missouri patients. More info coming soon.

Additional Resources

Legal Assistance: depending on where in Missouri you are located, the Legal Services office near you may have staff that can assist with your issue. (Not all parts of the state have resources to assist.)

Dollar For: a nonprofit organization that assists patients with medical debts incurred by services provided by a hospital. Consumers can reach out to this organization and see if they qualify for assistance.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) resources: The CFPB still has many resources on medical debt still remain on its web site (currently). This link walks through what to do when faced with a medical debt collection.

Surviving Debt: a FREE book published by the National Consumer Law Center available in its online, searchable version, that offers tips and tricks for consumers to deal with multiple kinds of debt, including medical debt. Chapter 11 specifically discusses medical debt, but the entire book is available. 

RX Outreach: A nonprofit, national, mail-order pharmacy based in St. Louis that can help prevent the accrual of medical debt for consumers who are eligible by providing affordable prescriptions, regardless of insurance status. Visit here to see if you qualify and if your medication is covered by this organization.

Additional Resources and Tips from Undue Medical Debt: Undue Medical Debt (formerly RIP Medical Debt) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose purpose is to strengthen communities by erasing financially burdensome medical debt, and they are one of the leading charitable organizations that help pay medical bills.