LA County Starts Medical Debt Forgiveness Initiative

Los Angeles County has committed $5 million to a pilot program aimed at eliminating $500 million in medical debt for approximately 150,000 low-income residents. The initiative, led by Supervisors Janice Hahn and Holly Mitchell, will partner with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt to purchase and forgive debt, rather than collect it. Medical debt in the county totals $2.9 billion, disproportionately affecting low-income families and communities of color. The program's specifics are yet to be fully determined, but it will target the most financially vulnerable residents and is set to launch later this year. The move follows similar efforts in other regions and reflects a broader trend toward addressing medical debt as a means to combat poverty.