More than $220M in Illinois medical debt erased in latest round of relief
CHICAGO, Ill. (WTVO) — Nearly 170,000 Illinois residents will have their medical debt erased, part of the latest round of relief totaling $220 million.
In total, the Medical Debt Relief Program has abolished more than $345 million for nearly 270,000 since the program began.
'We started this program with a simple premise: in a healthy and functioning society, no one should be in financial ruin simply because they get sick,' said Gov. JB Pritzker. 'This program makes a major impact on the lives of the most vulnerable Illinoisans while also maintaining our commitment to fiscal responsibility with a fantastic return on investment—the gold standard for this kind of work.'
The Department of Healthcare and Family Services partners with Undue Medical Debt, a national charity, to administer the program.
The initiative was launched in 2024 with the goal of erasing $1 billion of medical debt over several years.
The program targets residents with a household income at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, or those whose medical debt is at or exceeds 5% of their household income.
For each dollar spent on medical debt buyback, the relief program erases approximately $170 in medical debt for patients.
So far, the state has spent $2 million on the program, with a $15 million appropriation in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget.
According to the Governor's Office, 'Medical debt disproportionately affects people of color—Black Illinoisans are 50% more likely to accrue medical debt than their white peers.'
The program has partnered with hospitals throughout the state to provide medical debt relief for their patience.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Writer shares troubling story about invisible threat impacting neighborhood where she grew up: 'We lived in the shadow'
Growing up, writer Reniqua Allen-Lamphere worried about gun violence. But as an adult, she's realized that the biggest danger to her childhood was invisible — but no less dangerous. Allen-Lamphere shared her story in The Guardian. Growing up in a peaceful community in Englewood, New Jersey, she spent most afternoons playing in a local park, where she would splash in the brook and enjoy the sunshine. But just beyond, the threat lurked. "We lived in the shadow of factories bordering our beloved park," she explained. "Companies such as the LeDoux Corporation, a chemical testing company that had worked on everything from the Manhattan Project to the moon landing, were just steps from the swings." And as more people began to suffer from seemingly unrelated, mysterious health issues — from endometriosis to diabetes — people began to wonder if those factories had something to do with them. One family friend of Allen-Lamphere's shared: "As kids, we always played in the brook and thought it was fun when the water changed colors and stained our hands. … Our neighborhood smelled like rotten eggs every day when we came home from school, which I now know was the smell of sulfur. I can only imagine the toxins we were exposed to." Nowadays, scientists have a better idea of the links between environmental pollution and health. Air pollution is now known to be linked with a plethora of issues, from respiratory illness to dementia, certain cancers, and cardiovascular issues, per the National Institute of Environmental Health. But Allen-Lamphere had personally suffered from severe menstrual pain and endometriosis, and a recent study from Human Rights Watch found that this, too, may have been exacerbated by the pollution. Researchers found links between air pollution and gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and fibroids. And other common toxins and contaminants, including heavy metals and industrial chemicals, have been linked with infertility and endocrine disruption, leading to pregnancy complications. And unfortunately, people of color are disproportionately affected by this. Black people are 75% more likely to live within close range of industrial facilities, meaning that the air they breathe is, on average, 38% more polluted than the air in majority-white communities, per the Climate Reality Project. Researchers are looking into ways to reduce air pollution while simultaneously contributing to a greener future. From a team looking to convert methane into airplane fuel to another team reverse-engineering real dairy butter out of air-based carbon molecules, the potential solutions are vast and varied. But at its root, reducing air pollution means reducing it at the source and decreasing the amount of toxins and emissions generated in the first place. Both governmental regulations — such as the EPA's recent closing of loopholes on highly polluting steel plants — and initiatives by corporations, like transitioning shipping fleets to clean fuels, will be necessary for this. And as a citizen and a consumer, you can use your voting power and your money to contribute your own power to this effort. Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home? Yes — always Yes — often Yes — sometimes No — never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Former teen mom credits Rockford nurse for inspiration to pursue a nursing career
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — A mother who gave birth at 15 years old gave credit to a nurse who was instrumental in guiding her after pregnancy for inspiring her to become a nurse. Cherish Adams, now a mother to three children, has completed her nursing degree. Adams said Jeannine Joseph, a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurse, helped her realize she wanted to pursue the career. The realization started to take shape when Adams gave birth to her oldest child and was thinking about giving him to the Swedish American Hospital in a shoebox. Adams explained that this was the most terrified she had ever felt in her life. 'When I finally did go up to the hospital, I just remember being really scared and very overwhelmed because, again, I hadn't told anyone anything about this,' said Adams. Joseph was one of the first people to know how the situation was taking a toll on Adams personally. 'She's in school, but this does not mean that you have to give up on your dreams,' Joseph explained to Adams. 'You still can go to school, you still can graduate from high school, you still can go to college, and you can make the best life that you can for you and Allen.' After 21 years, Adams is graduating from Rasmussen University-Rockford with an Associate's Degree in Nursing. She gave Joseph credit for helping put her on this path through all the chaos and confusion. 'Honestly, it just makes me feel very excited and just very accomplished,' said Adams. 'On top of graduating from nursing school, I'm actually getting to take a position in the same hospital where Jeannie inspired me. So, it's really this a huge full circle moment.' Adams can be seen telling her story at her graduation in hopes of inspiring others on Saturday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
Long-lasting HIV prevention shot heads toward approval
June 6 (UPI) -- A new vaccine to prevent HIV is expected to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration later this month. If approved, the shot -- lenacapavir -- would be given twice a year and could be a big step forward in the fight against HIV. Drugmaker Gilead Sciences tested the shot in a study of women and girls. None of the participants who received the injections got HIV. That early success helped boost Gilead's stock by 73% over the past year, The Wall Street Journal reported. "We know it's challenging to take a daily pill for prevention, and we see an incredible opportunity here," said Johanna Mercier, Gilead's chief commercial officer Right now, more than 400,000 people in the United States use pills to prevent HIV, The Wall Street Journal added. These medications are referred to as PrEP, short for pre-exposure prophylaxis. Gilead expects the number of users to top 1 million by the next decade. Many people already say they'd prefer a shot over daily pills. In one survey of more than 500 PrEP users, 95% said they would switch to a long-acting injection. Sales of other long-acting options, like the shot Apretude from GSK, have risen sharply - up 63% in the past year. Even with strong results, Gilead faces several hurdles. One is reaching the people who need PrEP the most. Black Americans represent 39% of new HIV cases but only 14% of current PrEP users. Many people still face stigma or lack insurance coverage, which can limit access. Gilead says reaching underserved groups is a top goal. Most current PrEP users have commercial insurance, but Medicaid will be key for expanding access to lower-income communities. Another concern: Some experts worry the new shot may simply replace current Gilead products, like the daily pill Descovy, which now holds about 40% to 45% of the market. But Gilead says the shot should help expand the overall number of people using PrEP in both the U.S. and abroad. "We're thinking globally about the public health impact we can have," Mercier said. The company is working with governments and health groups in the United Kingdom and low-income countries to raise awareness and make these products more available. More information The National Institutes of Health has more on Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
