StatewideTuesday, November 3
Kentucky has erased $153 million in medical debt, with a second round of letters due the week of Nov. 9
The 5AM Hopkinsville team
If you owe medical bills, a letter could show up that you didn't ask for. Gov. Andy Beshear says the Team Kentucky Medical Debt Relief Program has erased $153 million in medical debt for more than 67,000 Kentuckians, more than halfway to its $250 million goal.
Kentucky is more than halfway to erasing $250 million in medical debt
$153 millionMedical debt erased so far
Sources: WHOP Radio, WPSD Local 6
View as table
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Medical debt erased so far | $153 million |
There's no application, and you can't request relief. Eligible Kentuckians get an official letter from Team Kentucky, and the next batch is expected to be mailed around the week of Nov. 9.
- Qualify: Kentucky resident owing at least 5% of annual income in medical bills
- Or earn at or below 400% of the federal poverty level
- 400% is around $100,000 for a family of three
- Program started by executive order on Sept. 15
Kentucky's medical debt program, by the numbers
- $97 million
- left to go toward medical debt forgiveness
- 80,000
- more people that amount would support, Beshear says
- Over 67,000
- Kentuckians helped so far
- $2.5 million
- transferred to Undue Medical Debt
Sources: WHOP Radio, WPSD Local 6
The executive order moved $2.5 million to Undue Medical Debt, a national nonprofit that buys medical debt from participating hospitals and collection agencies, to erase $250 million for an estimated 130,000 eligible Kentuckians.
Sources: WHOP Radio, WPSD Local 6