Medical Debt in America: A Research and Policy Forum

May 15, 2025 – Washington, DC

REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT

Join the Lown Institute along with policymakers, hospitals, patient advocates, researchers, and other experts on medical debt for a one-day, in person conference. We’ll discuss the scope of the problem, key drivers, and emerging challenges and opportunities to address medical debt with a new administration.

Hear from the lead organizer on why you don’t want to miss this important event

Download our data

Hospitals can help alleviate medical debt by providing free and discounted care to low-income patients. The Lown Institute has compiled a database of financial assistance and collections policies for 2,500 hospitals across the U.S., to show how these policies can vary. Learn more about the project and download the data!

Event details

  • Date: Thursday May 15, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
  • Location: Barbara Jordan Conference Center (1330 G St NW, Washington, DC 20005)

Program outline

TimeSession and Speakers
8:30 – 9:00 AMBreakfast
9:00 – 9:15 AMWelcome remarks

Vikas Saini, Lown Institute
9:15 – 9:45 AMFlipping the script: Starting with solutions

Vikas Saini, Lown Institute (Moderator)
Fred Cerise, Parkland Medical Center & ABIM Foundation
Patricia Kelmar, US PIRG
David Shuster, Horizon Goodwill Industries
9:45 – 10:45 AMWhat do we know about medical debt? A review of the evidence 

Chris Goodman, University of South Carolina (Moderator)
Fred Blavin, Urban Institute
Kelsey Chalmers, Lown Institute
Noam Levey, KFF Health News
Matthew Rae, KFF
10:45 – 11:00 AMBreak
11:00AM – 12:15PMHospitals and medical debt: Opportunities for change and barriers to action

Noam Levey, KFF Health News (Moderator)
Fred Cerise, Parkland Medical Center & ABIM Foundation
Alexis D’Amato, Small Business Majority
Deepak Manmohan Goyal, Monument Health
Eli Rushbanks, Dollar For
Eva Stahl, Undue Medical Debt
12:15 – 1:00 PMLunch
1:00 – 2:00 PM State-based solutions: How states are taking action on medical debt 

Anthony Wright, Families USA (moderator)
Elisabeth Benjamin, Community Service Society of New York
Julia Lerche, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
Maanasa Kona, Georgetown University, Center on Health Insurance Reforms
Luvia Quiñones, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
2:00 – 3:00 PMFederal solutions: Legislative and administrative pathways for change

Vikas Saini, Lown Institute (moderator)
Blair Elliott, Third Way
Sarah Levin, House Ways and Means Staff
Michelle Sternthal, Community Catalyst
3:00 – 3:15 PMBreak
3:15 – 4:15 PMSystemic solutions: Improving healthcare affordability and access in the long term 

Berneta Haynes, National Consumer Law Center (moderator)
Ge Bai, Johns Hopkins University
Sara Collins, Commonwealth Fund 
Ed Weisbart, Physicians for a National Health Program
Wes Yin, University of California, Los Angeles
4:15-4:30 PMClosing Remarks

Vikas Saini, Lown Institute
4:30 PMNetworking event

Participating organizations

  • Americans for Financial Reform
  • ​​Colorado Consumer Health Initiative (CCHI)
  • Community Catalyst
  • Consumer Reports
  • Community Service Society of New York (CSSNY)
  • Dollar For
  • Economic Action Maryland
  • Georgetown University, Center on Health Insurance Reforms
  • Horizon Goodwill Industries
  • Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
  • KFF Health News
  • National Consumer Law Cener (NCLC)
  • People’s Action
  • Persius
  • Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP)
  • Small Business Majority
  • Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research
  • Third Way
  • Undue Medical Debt
  • University of South Carolina
  • Urban Institute
  • US PIRG