Why some Americans are getting surprise medical-debt relief

When Brittany Gurney’s son was 14 months old, he had a medical emergency. The bill came out to $15,000. Gurney paid what she could, but it wasn’t enough. Her debt went to collections. But, a surprise letter arrived in the mail: Her debt had been forgiven. Here & Now’s Peter O’Dowd reports on a company that buys up and forgives medical debt, the impact it has on Americans’ lives and how medical debt is a widespread, growing problem in the U.S.Then, newly constructed homes now cost less than existing homes in many U.S. markets, reversing a years-long trend. Joel Berner, a senior economist for Realtor.com, shares more about the outlook for prospective buyers.And, climate change brings a number of visible changes, but one artist is trying to capture the sounds that come along with it too. WBUR’s Barbara Moran talks with Nikki Lindt who visits Alaska frequently to capture its audible changes.See more of our Alaska climate coverage here.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy