In his house on the western side of Seattle, Washington, 70 year-old Michael Flor continues his recovery from COVID-19. Flor was hospitalized for two months in early 2020 with the disease, and came so close to death that he said his goodbyes to his family while talking on a cell phone held to his ear by his nurse because no visitors were allowed into quarantined patients' rooms. In May, after 62 days, Flor was discharged as the area's longest-hospitalized coronavirus patient. But he had another shock waiting for him when he got home — a $1.1 million bill.

His intensive care unit was billed at $9,736 per day, $408,912 for ensuring a properly sealed-off quarantine room, $2,835 per-day went toward the use of a ventilator, while about a quarter of the bill counted toward drug costs — 3,000 itemized charges across a baffling 181 pages.

Flor's story is part of an emerging trend for countless Americans amid one of the worst pandemics in history. While hundreds of thousands lose their lives, others may escape with their physical well-being but also substantial financial distress.