Jeff King was recovering from an unexpected procedure to fix his irregular heart rhythm when he received shocking news.
The hospital had given him a $160,000 (£119,00) bill for the treatment. King, a former pastor, did not have standard health insurance from his employer, only a cost-sharing alternative plan that said it would not cover the procedure.
"It was pretty traumatic," said the 66-year-old from Lawrence, Kansas. "Who knew that less than a one-day procedure in and out of the hospital could destroy us financially?"
King is one of around 100 million people - or about 40% of Americans - who are estimated to struggle to pay off their medical and dental healthcare debt, according to recent data. The healthcare company King was a member of have previously said it's important that members understand its cost-sharing model and membership guidelines.
The US has one of the most expensive health systems in the world, with spending on health care estimated to reach $5.9tn (£4.3tn) in 2026, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. But despite spending twice as much per capita on healthcare compared with wealthy nations of a similar size, the US has a lower life expectancy than those other nations, according to health research nonprofit KFF.
