According to a 2016 Kaiser Family Foundation and New York Times survey, 20 percent of working-age consumers with health insurance reported problems paying medical bills in the previous year. The situation is even more dire for the uninsured, with more than half reporting medical bill payment problems. However, health care consumers have a range of options when it comes to tackling medical debt.

The IRS has extended the deadline by which applicable large employers (ALEs) and entities providing minimum essential coverage (MEC) must distribute Forms 1095-B and 1095-C to individuals for the 2017 reporting year. These forms were previously due to individuals no later than January 31, 2017. The extended deadline for providing these forms to individuals is now March 2, 2018.

As organizations begin to assess options for health coverage in 2018, new data could help provide some perspective. Employer premiums on health care plans rose higher in 2017 than they have in the past five years, according to a nationwide health plan survey, Benefits Pro reported.