No one gleefully spends on medical expenses. These unplanned costs land on people in vulnerable moments. Adding to the stress, many if not most in the US are un- or under-insured. The result? A whopping 85% of people with credit reports hold healthcare debt. Medical costs are so high and unpredictable that people often find themselves seeking emergency care at the latest possible moment in hopes of not incurring such debts. Their care and recovery suffer. In this episode, Maurice is joined by Dr. Luke Messac, MD/PhD, a physician in emergency medicine and a medical historian and author. Together they discuss how medical debt shows up among Black patients he sees and in his historical research. They'll also preview his upcoming book, Your Money or Your Life: Debt Collection in American Medicine, available early November 2023 from Oxford University Press. Also joining this episode to discuss her personal experience with medical debt is Angela Peoples, an activist and director of B