Nearly 70,000 Massachusetts residents are getting relief from medical bills without filling out an application, thanks to a nonprofit partnership erasing more than $38 million in medical debt.
Here's what to know
The Atrius Health Equity Foundation, working with Undue Medical Debt, has erased more than $293 million in medical debt since 2024, according to Boston.com. The latest round provides individual relief ranging from $5 to $86,000.
Recipients will receive letters in envelopes bearing Undue Medical Debt's name, explaining that the nonprofit is partly or fully canceling their medical bills. The nonprofit automatically selects recipients based on patients' financial eligibility and whether the debt is available for it to acquire.
Patients have no way to apply for or request relief, and people who receive a letter don't need to respond, Boston.com reports.
More background
State data cited by Boston.com show that medical debt affects one out of every eight Bay Staters. The resulting strain on finances and overall well-being is not evenly shared: lower-income households and communities of color bear a disproportionate burden.
The effort supports the Atrius Health Equity Foundation's mission to narrow life expectancy disparities across Eastern Massachusetts, according to Boston.com.
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Its partner, Undue Medical Debt, began operating in 2014 and has canceled nearly $50 billion in medical bills, benefiting more than 31 million families nationwide.
What's being done?
Undue Medical Debt buys bundles of overdue medical bills for a small fraction of their face value, then forgives what financially vulnerable patients owe, Boston.com reported.
Before selling the bills to the nonprofit, providers make good-faith attempts to collect payment. Collection agencies and debt buyers can supply the debt, as can physicians' groups, health systems, and hospitals.
Meeting the financial criteria alone does not guarantee that every outstanding bill will be erased. Relief also depends on whether the nonprofit can acquire eligible accounts.
People can qualify if their medical debt is 5% or more of yearly income, or if their income is below 400% of the federal poverty level. Boston.com lists that income threshold as $63,840 for one person and $132,000 for a four-person family.
Allison Sesso, CEO and president of Undue Medical Debt, described the lasting financial strain medical care can place on patients. "For too many patients, an unexpected illness or medical emergency can create financial hardship that lasts long after they leave the hospital, ER, or doctor's office."
Where can I learn more?
Beyond medical debt, Massachusetts residents face changes in health coverage, care costs, and financial assistance. These stories cover Medicaid coverage losses, ambulance fees, and free postpartum visits.
• Massachusetts wiped out $52 million in debt for 6,000 consumers and banned a collector.
• Massachusetts plans to end full Medicaid coverage for 7,300 documented immigrants amid wider New England losses.
• In Massachusetts, an EMS provider seeks $1,178 per ambulance call, saying the town isn't contributing.
• Massachusetts is moving to offer free postpartum home visits to every new parent, alongside earlier screening.
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