WASHINGTON — One in three working-age Americans with private health insurance say they are paying off medical debt, according to a survey released September 17 by the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit health policy research group, a finding that challenges the idea that coverage alone protects people from financial harm when they need care.

The report, based on the group's 2025 Affordability Survey and follow-up focus groups, found that debt is not confined to people who are uninsured or who have suffered a catastrophic illness. Hospital visits are the biggest source, with nearly two-thirds of adults who carry medical debt reporting balances tied to hospital care, CBS News reported. But routine services also contribute, including doctor's office visits, lab work and diagnostic tests. "Medical-debt issues often stem from routine care, including doctor's office visits and treatment for chronic conditions," Sara Collins, a senior scholar at the Commonwealth Fund and a co-author, told Time. High deductibles are another common source, according to the same report.

Collins, the study's lead author and a health economist, said the main driver is how much of the bill insurance leaves to the patient. "The primary reason why these people have debt is about the extent to which their insurance covers their out-of-pocket costs," she told CBS News.

The amounts can be significant. Almost half of those with medical debt, or about 15% of all working-age, privately insured adults, owe at least $2,000, according to the survey. To pay their bills, 37% of people with debt said they drained their savings, and 30% said they cut back on essentials such........

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