Ingham, Kalamazoo, Kent, Oakland and Wayne counties vote to secure state dollars, provide matching funds to eliminate medical debt for area residents
LANSING, Mich. (March 20, 2024) — Senate Appropriations Chair Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) was joined at the State Capitol today by local government officials from some of the state’s largest counties to highlight the local impact of $4.5 million included in the 2024 Michigan budget. Paired with local matching funds and partnerships on the ground level, this funding will result in an estimated $450 million in medical debt relief for approximately 180,000 Michiganders in communities across our state.
“I have always viewed budgets as moral documents, and I was proud that our 2024 budget put people first and offered real, tangible relief wherever possible,” said Chair Anthony. “People should not have to choose between the health care they need and putting food on the table for their families. Relieving families of this burden so they can thrive — not just survive — is a true testament to what we stand for here in Michigan.”
With the support of RIP Medical Debt, the House and Senate secured $4.5 million in the 2024 budget to support the forgiveness of medical debt for people across our state. These state dollars go directly to local governments to help them support residents on the ground.
“People don’t choose to get sick and take on health care debt,” said Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans. “Too often, medical bills can be the beginning of a downward spiral for a family that did nothing wrong except get sick. Implementing this program in Wayne County means that we’re showing up to help eliminate a portion of the extreme financial burden that too many families today are forced to carry.”
Local officials from Ingham, Kalamazoo, Oakland and Wayne counties joined Sen. Anthony in Lansing to celebrate this significant collaboration. These local governments voted to secure this funding, and have already started the process of collaborating with RIP medical debt to abolish medical debt.
“I am truly excited and deeply committed to our efforts in providing invaluable assistance to the numerous individuals within our community who are grappling with overwhelming medical debt,” said Ingham County Commissioner Myles Johnson. “As the County Commissioner of District 5 in Southwest Lansing, I take great pride in being the catalyst for this initiative among my esteemed colleagues. The road towards realizing this critical effort has been one of collaboration and shared vision, and I am extremely grateful to my fellow county commissioners for their unwavering support and dedication to this cause.”
Medical debt has been a growing crisis in Lansing, in Michigan and around the country. It’s a problem that affects 1 out of 3 US adults, even those who have health insurance. With the cost of medical care, especially after an unplanned, unexpected illness or accident, people find themselves trapped in an endless cycle of debt for the rest of their lives.
“Medical debt relief saves the lives of people who delay needed care. In Michigan, we do not have to tolerate losing friends, family, and loved ones due to the fear of medical debt. Kalamazoo County is proud to join other leaders in the state to ensure our residents are free from the burden of crushing medical debt, allowing them peace of mind, and regained economic power to live the lives they deserve,” said Kalamazoo County Commissioner Jen Strebs.
RIP Medical Debt is a nonprofit that relieves residents’ medical debt by entering into agreements with the provider (hospital, physicians’ group, etc.) who owns the debt and acquiring it. As a national organization, RIP has erased medical debt in all 50 states and is constantly working with new providers.
RIP Medical Debt is already in talks with providers across the state and has officially started working with Oakland County and contracts are in the works with Wayne County, Kalamazoo county and city, and Ingham County. As these partnerships become official, RIP will approach local providers to leverage municipal funding. This effort will benefit residents who live in Michigan and meet the nonprofit’s criteria for relief — at or below four times the federal poverty level or those for whom medical debt is 5% or more of their annual income.
“No matter what a person’s circumstances are, a medical crisis can be devastating for them and their families, physically, financially and emotionally,” said Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter. “Our partnership with RIP Medical Debt will help people who find themselves burdened with outstanding medical bills to pay off their debt, rehabilitate their credit scores and relieve the compounded stress that comes with health issues and the financial burden that all too often accompanies illness.”
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