New York City has canceled nearly $135 million in medical debt for more than 75,000 residents, part of a broader initiative to eliminate $2 billion in debt for 500,000 patients.
The relief effort is part of a three-year, $18 million investment launched by Mayor Eric Adams in partnership with Undue Medical Debt, according to an Oct. 22 news release from the city’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Under the program, eligible medical debt is acquired and erased without cost or penalty to recipients.
To help residents avoid future debt, the city opened eight new financial empowerment centers at select NYC Health + Hospitals locations. The centers offer counseling to support debt management, credit repair and long-term financial planning.
Residents can access free financial counseling and coaching services at the following hospitals in New York City:
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, East New York
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Gouverneur
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Tremont
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens
In total, New York City operates more than 40 financial centers.Undue Medical Debt has also partnered with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. The state’s relief program canceled more than $6.5 billion in medical debt from 2.5 million residents in the last year.
