One state in the North and two states in the South identify medical debt as the biggest source of debt, according to a survey by GOBankingRates.com.
GOBankingRates.com recently surveyed nearly 3,000 American adults on debt. As part of the survey, respondents were asked what type of debt — mortgage loan debt, student loan debt, credit card debt and medical debt — is their largest source of current debt and how much they owed for each type.
Overall, the survey found about 6 percent of those surveyed said medical debt is their largest source of debt. And among those who have medical debt, the median amount owed is only $600, according to GOBankingRates.com.
The three states where medical debt is the biggest source of debt are:
- Arkansas
- Mississippi (tie with mortgage loan debt)
- Vermont
GOBankingRates.com states that Mississippi's presence on the list might partly be attributed to the percentage of the population without health insurance in that state. The 2015 estimated uninsured rate in Mississippi is 17.3 percent, according to Enroll America, a healthcare enrollment coalition. That's significantly above the national uninsured rate of 11 percent.
And, GOBankingRates.com notes, residents who are insured in these three states might still have trouble footing their medical bills.