Detroit Evening Report: Wayne County eliminates $27M in medical debt for 46,000 residents

Wayne County announced on Wednesday that it has eliminated $27 million in outstanding medical debt for more than 46,000 county residents. 

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The county started a partnership with a nonprofit called “Undue Medical Debt,” which acquires debt from medical providers — in this case an unnamed local hospital — for pennies on the dollar.

The county says it has invested $5 million from the indigent relief fund and the federal American Rescue Plan Act. 

“Since we first announced this new program in March of this year, a program designed to wipe out more than $700 million in medical debt, I am extremely pleased to see the program’s success thus far in helping so many of our residents in need,” said Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans in a statement. “These resources will help to eliminate the stress they have been under as they juggle how to pay for crushing hospital bills while keeping the lights on and putting food on the table at the same time.”

Officials say qualifying patients live in Wayne County and are at or below four times the federal poverty level. They can also qualify if they have medical debt that equals 5% or more of their annual income. 

Recipients of the debt relief will receive a letter signed by Evans providing information about which debts are no longer due. No further action is needed to receive debt relief. County residents cannot request the debt relief, according to officials.

Other headlines for Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024:

• A new national poll from C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital released this week analyzed parents’ views on disciplining young children, with more than a quarter of the parents surveyed admitting they’d threatened their children with no holiday gifts.
• Christmas and Hanukkah are just a week away, and that means Metro Detroiters are sending gifts around the country by mail. The U.S. Postal Service is reminding residents that the deadlines are near — if you want your presents to arrive by Dec. 25.
• The Detroit Lions keep getting bad news when it comes to injuries.  The team suffered four major injuries in Sunday’s loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Lions travel to Chicago to play the Bears on Sunday.

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