Ammons Announces More than $400 Million in Medical Debt Erased Since Launch of Medical Debt Relief Program

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Medical Debt Relief Program, made possible by this year’s budget and supported by state Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, has erased nearly $430 million in medical debt for working-class Illinoisans for pennies on the dollar.

“No one should be forced to choose between paying for utilities, groceries, and healthcare bills. Our healthcare system should not punish people with debt for using the services they provide,” said Ammons. “We are lucky to have so many great healthcare providers and resources in our community, but they are worthless if people can’t afford to use those services. I will continue to advocate for an affordable healthcare service that administers adequate care without sending anyone into debt.”

The Medical Debt Relief Program that Ammons put her support behind earlier this year is a fiscally responsible assistance initiative for low-income Illinoisans with lingering medical debt they cannot pay. The low-quality of the debt results in a more than 150-to-1 return for every dollar spent, and this program has now relieved $430 million for 358,000 residents across Illinois in just one year.

This year, Ammons helped pass a range of affordable healthcare measures including:

• The Prescription Drug Affordability Act, which banned a range of practices that drive up the cost of vital prescription drugs;
• Mental health legislation to help ensure mental and behavioral healthcare is on the same footing as physical healthcare; and
• A budget that funded the construction of new hospitals in underserved areas throughout Illinois.

“Over $400 million in medical debt has been erased in just one year since the program began, assisting over 350,000 Illinoisans” said Ammons. “It’s important to take a moment to recognize the success of this program, knowing that there is still work to be done to improve the healthcare system and relieve more medical debt.”