Illinois residents will soon start receiving notifications that their medical debts have been erased as part of the state’s Medical Debt Relief Pilot Program, which has relieved more than $72 million in debt for 52,

Illinois will erase $72 million in medical debt for over 52,000 residents, Gov. JB Pritzker announced Thursday. Funding from the state’s Medical Debt Relief Pilot Program is the first part of an effort to erase $1 billion in medical debt across Illinois.

More than 52,000 Illinois residents have been relieved of $72 million of medical debt under a state pilot program that debuted earlier this year. A state pilot program designed to erase medical debt for 300,000 Illinois residents has already helped thousands eliminate $72 million of debt, the governor’s office announced Thursday.

CHICAGO- The State of Illinois’ Medical Debt Relief Pilot Program has relieved more than $72 million worth of medical debt for 52,745 Illinois residents

When St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter announced last year that he would dedicate $1.1 million in federal COVID relief aid to knock out up to $110 million in medical debt citywide, some scoffed. Why spend American Rescue Plan Act dollars helping to eliminate hard-to-collect funds that hospitals could just write off themselves?

The State of Illinois’ Medical Debt Relief Pilot Program has relieved more than $72 million worth of medical debt for 52,745 Illinois residents, Governor JB Pritzker's office announced.

More than $72 million worth of debt has been forgiven as part of the governor's plan to ultimately cancel $1 billion in medical debt for Illinoisans.

CMS’s debt relief approach, devoid of accountability to taxpayers and riddled with harmful incentives, will worsen medical debt. It’s time to focus on fixing root causes.

In all, St. Paul will spend $1.1 million, funded by the American Rescue Plan, to erase $110 million of medical debt city wide. But it's stories like Myers that motivate St. Paul and state leaders to do more. "There's no reason why this should stop at St. Paul," Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said.

By using federal American Rescue Plan funds, the city paired with the nonprofit, Undue Medical Debt, and M Health Fairview to wipe out $40 million in medical obligations. St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter says the plan is aimed at giving support to debt-strapped residents.

More than 32,000 St. Paul residents will soon receive letters telling them their unpaid doctor's bills are no longer due. Why it matters: It's not a scam. It's the first round of a city-backed effort to eliminate $100 million in medical debt for unsuspecting community members — no application or action required.