"States are going to be the epicenter of policy change to mitigate the harms of medical debt," said Eva Stahl, who oversees public policy at Undue Medical Debt.
"Comprehensive health coverage that limits patients' out-of-pocket costs remains the best defense against medical debt," as advocates worry about federal retrenchment impacting aid.
"There's an enormous amount that states can do," said Elisabeth Benjamin, highlighting New York's proactive approach to hospital debt collections and financial aid expansion.
Several states are looking to strengthen oversight of medical credit cards, which can leave patients paying high interest rates on top of their medical debt.
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