Coping with medical bills ranks among the top personal finance concerns of Americans, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll released at the end of April. The researchers found that 28 percent of those surveyed reported they or their families had a serious problem paying for healthcare and health insurance as a result of recent changes in the economy. Though many people think of the economy and healthcare as being separate issues, the researchers note that the survey highlights how healthcare has become a key dimension of the public's economic concerns. When asked about the personal financial consequences of medical bills, nearly four in ten people reported at least one of six problems during the past five years. This included: having difficulties paying other bills (20 percent); being contacted by a collections agency (20 percent); using up all or most of their savings (17 percent); being unable to pay for basic necessities such as food, heat or housing (12 percent); borrowing money (10 percent); or declaring bankruptcy (3 percent). Below is a chart showing how problems coping with medical bills in the current economy compare to other financial problems. One of the most astounding findings in the survey is that 7 percent of respondents reported that someone in their household got married to get health insurance benefits for themselves or their spouse. Below is a chart that shows how healthcare compares to other problems people are experiencing as a result of the changing economy.