Wayne County wipes out $27 million in medical debt for 46,000 residents
(CBS DETROIT) — Wayne County is erasing $27 million in medical debt for more than 46,000 county residents.
The debt came from an area hospital, which Wayne County's Department of Health, Human, and Veteran Services says "wishes to remain anonymous but is committed to community benefit and making healthcare accessible."
The county is working with the national nonprofit Undue Medical Debt, which acquires the medical debts of those who are least able to pay. To qualify for debt relief, you must be a Wayne County resident and be four times (400%) or below the federal poverty level or have medical debt that equals 5% or more of your annual income.
"With this program, we are doing our part to address the way our national healthcare affordability crisis affects Wayne County residents. Medical debt is a financial anchor on too many families, often forcing them to choose basic everyday needs or being forced to pay medical bills. We are proud to work with Undue Medical Debt to help bring a measure of relief to vulnerable families throughout Wayne County," said Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, Wayne County Health Director and Director of Health, Human, and Veterans Services.
To date, Wayne County has invested $5 million as part of the collaboration and aims to erase $700 million in medical debt. The county says an additional $2 million could be added in the future if it is needed, and on average, $1 donated to the nonprofit helps relieve $100 in medical debt.
"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. 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," said Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans.
Those who are having their medical debt erased will receive an Undue-branded envelope in the mail this week. The letter will be signed by Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, and no action is required by the recipient.