Whether your medical debt is recent or has been lingering for several years, you need to know your rights. bettphotos/Getty Images

Medical bills have a way of sneaking up on people, and it can happen long after the initial injury or illness has passed. You might be fully recovered and feeling like life has returned to normal, only to receive a collections notice for an old hospital stay or an unexpected medical bill months or even years later. And in today's high-cost healthcare environment , where even insured patients can face steep out-of-pocket costs, those surprises feel especially jarring for your finances.

It doesn't help that many Americans are stuck juggling other financial pressures at the same time. After all, credit card balances have climbed to record levels , em

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