Latest news with #Undue
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
R.I. medical debt relief program has forgiven $7 million since October
Rhode Island General Treasurer James J. Diossa has announced the forgiveness of $7 million in medical debt since a new program launched last fall. 'I hope to wipe out even more debt soon,,' Diossa said Monday, March 3, 2025. (Photo by Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current) About 3,000 Rhode Islanders have had $7 million in medical debt forgiven since the launch of a debt relief program last October, the state's General Treasurer has announced. 'This program provides crucial relief to many who are burdened with medical debt, and I hope to wipe out even more debt soon,' said Rhode Island General Treasurer James A. Diossa in a statement Monday. There's no enrollment or application process for the program. The program administered by New York-based nonprofit Undue Medical Debt identifies, purchases and cancels the debts of eligible Rhode Islanders. Debts of $600 and up can be forgiven, and there's no maximum amount, although debts must be equal to at least 5% of a person's annual income. Any amount of debt can be forgiven for people earning less than 400% of the federal poverty level. No action is needed on the consumer's part. People whose debt is forgiven will receive a letter in the mail that identifies the amount erased. The treasurer's office calls the forgiven debt a 'no-strings-attached gift' that does not qualify as earned income. There's no obligation for people to repay the debt. Legislation in the 2024 session created the program. The Rhode Island General Assembly allocated $1 million for the program in the fiscal 2025 budget. About $50,000 of the $1 million allotment has been used so far, according to Diossa's announcement. The program uses bulk-purchasing power to buy debt from health care providers and collection agencies at a discounted price. There are more than 20 city, county and state governments nationwide that offer such programs, including Connecticut. The Rhode Island Treasury collaborates with the New York-based Undue Medical Debt to buy debt from providers like hospitals and physician groups as well as debt collectors. About a third of the fiscal 2025 allotment, around $370,000, covers overhead for Undue Medical Debt. The nonprofit was founded by ex-debt collectors in 2014 and has helped forgive about $15 billion in medical debt across the country since then. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Over $17 million in medical debt wiped out for Arizonans
Thousands benefit from AZ Blue Foundation's work with Undue Medical Debt PHOENIX, Feb. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Every month across Arizona, thousands of people face a tough choice: Pay their medical bills or use that money to buy groceries or other essentials needed to get by. Now, more than 12,000 people have less to worry about – thanks to the AZ Blue Foundation. In the last two years, the Foundation has donated to Undue Medical Debt, which helped erase over $17 million in medical debt in Arizona. The AZ Blue Foundation plans to make another donation later this year to expand its impact in 2025. This is part of AZ Blue's continued effort to make healthcare easier and support health equity for all Arizonans. "Provider bills can be a heavy burden," said Paul Penzone, Chief Community Relations Officer at AZ Blue. "Our gift helped ease some of that strain so people can focus on their health." How AZ Blue made an impact Each year, millions of Americans—more than 460,000 people across the state—find themselves needing unexpected surgeries or other critical care. When the bills for these treatments arrive, people often feel they have nowhere to turn. In fact, they are three times more likely to struggle with depression or anxiety, the non-profit's research shows. Here's how the program worked to help those who need it most: Who provided the support? The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Foundation for Community & Health Advancement (AZ Blue Foundation) in partnership with Undue Medical Debt Debt Wiped Out: The program wiped out medical debt across the state: Yavapai County: all available debt for purchase in 2024 Maricopa County: $7.6 million Pima County: $2.2 million All 15 counties across Arizona benefited Who qualified? Families who earn 4X or below the poverty level. Those with medical debt equal to 5% or more of their annual income. On average, more than $1,600 in medical debt was forgiven per person in 2024. Learn more here about this effort. ABOUT BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF ARIZONA Blue Cross ® Blue Shield ® of Arizona (AZ Blue) is committed to helping Arizonans get healthier faster and stay healthier longer. With a mission to inspire health and make it easy, AZ Blue offers health insurance and related services to more than 2 million customers. AZ Blue, a non-profit company, is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. The company and its subsidiaries employ more than 3,200 people in its Phoenix, Flagstaff, and Tucson offices. To learn more, visit or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook. ABOUT THE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF ARIZONA FOUNDATION FOR COMMUNITY & HEALTH ADVANCEMENT The Blue Cross® Blue Shield® of Arizona Foundation for Community & Health Advancement invests in the health of Arizona by tackling mental health, substance use disorder, chronic health conditions, and health equity. A 501(c)(3) private, non-operating foundation, the Foundation works in service of the public good through grant funding for programs and applied research that align with its focus areas. The Foundation is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. For more information, visit: View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
