By James Myers, OAN Staff
Wednesday, August 21, 2024 1:30 p.m.
New Jersey’s Democratic governor, Phil Murphy, announced Wednesday that the state will forgive $100 million in medical debt for about 50,000 New Jerseyans.
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“Medical debt can last for decades. We have wiped out the debt of thousands, making a real impact on their lives,” Murphy wrote on X.
Garden State has teamed up with the nonprofit group Undue Medical Debt, which claimed in a statement that it is working with the state to raise more than $550,000 in federal American Rescue Plan funds.
About 18,000 New Jersey residents owe Prime Healthcare Hospitals $61.6 million, and more than 31,000 owe more than $38.4 million to other providers, including debt collection agencies, according to the nonprofit group.
“People who are sick or injured should be able to focus on what matters most – getting better – rather than worrying about how to pay for life-saving treatments and services,” Murphy said in a statement.
The announcement comes after New Jersey’s governor signed the Louisa Carman Medical Debt Relief Act last month to prevent residents from incurring further medical debt and protect them from “predatory medical debt collectors.”
Undue Medical Debt said there is no application process for debt forgiveness. The nonprofit will work with hospitals across the country to buy up past-due medical debt.
To be eligible for Andew’s medical debt relief plan, people must be below four times the federal poverty level or have medical debt that is more than 5% of their annual income, according to the nonprofit.
Those who qualify will receive a letter in the mail starting the week of Aug. 19 from Undue Medical Debt.Number.
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