A report out last month from the Commonwealth Fund found that 28 percent of the population said they were paying off medical debt in 2007, up from 21 percent in 2005. 

Of course, it’s best to avoid medical debt in the first place. If you don’t have insurance, take this eligibility quiz to find out whether you qualify for low-cost public health insurance programs. The group Coverage for All also offers a state-by-state guide of health-care choices and has a help line open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Department of Health and Human Services has a guide to low-cost insurance programs especially for children.

Read more about avoiding medical debt here:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/08/28/ep.medical.debt/index.html