Lawmakers in at least 12 states and the U.S. Congress have proposed legislation aimed at addressing the issue of medical debt, which has left many Americans in untenable situations. People have either had to forgo urgent medical care, taken out second mortgages to pay for cancer treatment, or slashed grocery budgets to keep up with payments. Medical debt has become a leading cause of personal bankruptcy, with an estimated $88 billion of that debt in collections nationwide. Some of the proposed bills would establish medical debt relief programs, prevent debt collectors from seizing personal property, or lower interest rates. Others would promote greater transparency in the costs of care, thus preventing patients from incurring unexpected bills. In Colorado, for instance, the House has approved a bill that would lower the maximum medical debt interest rate to 3% and require greater transparency for costs of treatment. It would also prohibit debt collection during the appeals process. But some lawmakers have opposed such moves, with a Colorado Republican state Senator, Janice Rich, warning that the state's proposed legislation could weaken hospitals' debt collection abilities and hurt their cash flow.