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…