Indiana Cancer Survivors Push for Medical Debt Relief

Cancer patients in Indiana are fighting back against a burden nearly as crushing as the disease itself: medical debt that can top tens of thousands of dollars even with insurance.

This Wednesday, about 50 cancer survivors and advocates will gather at the Indiana Statehouse for Cancer Action Day. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and Blood Cancer United are pushing lawmakers to pass legislation that would shield patients from financial devastation while they're fighting for their lives.

Heather Almager knows this struggle firsthand. Despite having health insurance during her breast cancer and fertility treatments, she accumulated more than $75,000 in medical debt. Her story represents thousands of Hoosiers who face what advocates call a "twofold" suffering: battling cancer first, then battling bankruptcy.

The proposed legislation focuses on two key changes. First, it would establish safeguards to prevent patients from drowning in debt during treatment. Second, it would limit aggressive collection practices and expand access to financial assistance programs for those already buried in bills.

"This enables patients to prioritize their health without fear of long-term financial harm," said Allie Kast Gregg, government relations director for ACS CAN. The organization has championed cancer-related policy reforms since 2001, securing billions in research funding and expanding healthcare access nationwide.

Why This Inspires

What makes this rally powerful is who's showing up. These aren't just policy experts debating numbers in conference rooms. They're survivors who've sat through chemotherapy, endured surgeries, and then opened mailboxes full of bills that never seemed to end.

By sharing their stories directly with legislators, they're putting human faces on a crisis that touches nearly every community. When Almager speaks at 10:15 a.m. Wednesday, lawmakers won't just hear statistics about medical debt. They'll hear from someone who lived it and survived to demand better for the next person diagnosed.

Indiana has a chance to become a model for protecting patients when they're most vulnerable. If this legislation passes, it could spark similar reforms across the country, proving that treating cancer shouldn't mean destroying someone's financial future.

These survivors have already fought the hardest battle of their lives, and now they're using that strength to make sure others won't have to fight alone.