# Health insurance doesn't always protect you from medical debt

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/marketplace-all-in-one-432449/health-insurance-doesn-t-always-protect-you-from-medical-debt.md
Podcast: [Marketplace All-in-One](https://stenobird.com/podcast/marketplace-all-in-one-432449)
Published: 2026-09-18T11:52:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.marketplace.org/episode/2026/09/18/health-insurance-doesnt-always-protect-you-from-medical-debt
Audio file: https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/5/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/VnCzW2iO9G8z4eDWfXCd/play.publicradio.org/podcast/o/marketplace/morning_report/2026/09/18/mmr_20260918_MMR_podcast_1_64.mp3?awCollectionId=mkp-AllNOne&awEpisodeId=01M2T64Y8SBVFZ0WS02R0K25AR
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/marketplace-all-in-one-432449/episodes/health-insurance-doesn-t-always-protect-you-from-medical-debt
Duration seconds: 396

## Resource

You can still pile up medical debt even if you have insurance. In fact, a new Commonwealth Fund survey says almost one in three working-age adults with private insurance are paying off medical bills or debt. We unpack. Then, disruption to the Strait of Hormuz is a workplace story, too. Thousands of seafarers have been stuck aboard ships near the Strait since February. We learn what the conditions and dangers have been like. Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter . Marketplace Morning Report is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future. Stories featured in this episode: Having insurance is not a guarantee against medical debt, survey finds What it's like to be a seafarer stuck in the Strait of Hormuz

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## Transcript

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