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PENNY WINGARD OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, HAS SURVIVED BREAST CANCER, A BRAIN ANEURYSM, AND SURGERY ON BOTH EYES. FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, SHE'S BEEN BATTLING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN MEDICAL DEBT./ANERI PATTANI/KHN
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DAVID ZIPPRICH, A FORT WORTH FINANCIAL CONSULTANT AND GRANDFATHER, WAS FORCED OUT OF RETIREMENT AFTER HOSPITALIZATIONS LEFT HIM OWING MORE THAN $200,000./LAURA BUCKMAN FOR KHN AND NPR.
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OONATEMPEST/KHN
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3D ANIMATION PRODUCTION COMPANY/PIXABAY
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JENI RAE PETERS OF RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA ― PICTURED WITH HER DAUGHTER LISHA JANE FEATHERMAN — WAS DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE 2 BREAST CANCER IN 2020. SHE’S HAD HEALTH INSURANCE THROUGH HER EMPLOYERS, BUT SHE STILL HAD TO PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OUT-OF-POCKET./DAWNEE LEBEAU FOR KHN AND NPR
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OONATEMPEST/KHN
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SHUTTERSTOCK
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MARCUS AND ALLYSON WARD OF CHICAGO MOVED ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO BE CLOSER TO FAMILY AFTER THE PREMATURE BIRTH OF THEIR TWINS, MILO AND THEO, LEFT THEM WITH ABOUT $80,000 IN MEDICAL DEBT./TAYLOR GLASCOCK/KHN AND NPR
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OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY
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PATIENTS WHO ARE TREATED AT AN IN-NETWORK HOSPITAL WILL NO LONGER FACE SURPRISE MEDICAL BILLS./LYNNE TERRY/OREGON CAPITAL CHRONICLE