If you are dealing with unpaid medical debt, understanding the stakes is essential in today's economic landscape. Boonchai Wedmakawand/Getty Images

Medical debt has long been one of the quietest financial burdens in the U.S., but lately, it's become almost impossible to ignore the issue. After all, rising healthcare costs , inflation-driven household budgets and insurance premium increases and coverage gaps are converging at the same time, so for many Americans, that pressure is showing up in the form of growing medical balances. Even the cost of routine care can leave people scrambling, and surprise medical bills can be an even larger issue to deal with, especially if you're unable to immediately cover the costs out of pocket.

As a result, many Americans are choosing to delay ne

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