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The medical debt crisis has been growing year by year, burdening individuals as well as hospitals and employers. But just how much of America has been suffering due to medical debt became painfully clear this week, when a recent survey of working-age Americans found that 79 million are struggling to pay medical bills and deal with health insurance problems.

As it's reported at U.S. News and World Report, a "perfect storm" of economic woes has led to difficulty finding affordable health insurance, paying premiums, and still covering costs when an accident or illness occurs.

Thirty-nine percent of people with medical debt said they had depleted their savings to pay off those bills; 29% were having problems paying for food, heat, rent and other basics; and 30% had accumulated credit card debt in order to pay off health insurance costs.

And the problem crosses boundaries of age and income, with lower and middle class Americans from working age all the way past 65 struggling with medical debt.

One way to make sure your insurance is the best you can afford is to change plans if you're still healthy but don't feel secure in your coverage. The best means of finding a more affordable health insurance plan is to shop around aggressively, and understand exactly what kind of coverage you need before you sign on the dotted line.

And as always, take extra good care of yourself. Making smart lifestyle decisions can help keep you from illness, and attending yearly checkups can provide you with the information you need to take optimal care of your health.