Flint Initiates Innovative Plan to Ease Residents’ Medical Debt
Flint is embarking on a significant initiative aimed at alleviating the medical debt burden for its residents. With the city council’s recent decision, $50,000 will be allocated to secure additional funding from state and private sources. This strategic financial move aims to potentially erase approximately $32 million in medical debt.
Reverend Monica Villarreal highlighted the program’s focus on negotiating with Genesee County hospitals. “These dollars and this program really does focus on our local Genesee County service providers of which most Flint residents go to for their primary care, their secondary care, and for emergency care,” she explained.
The program is designed for Flint citizens whose incomes are up to 400% of the poverty level. The process of identifying and settling the medical debts for an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 individuals in Genesee County is expected to commence in the coming months.
Undue Medical Debt, a group already active in similar efforts across Oakland, Ingham, Kalamazoo, and Wayne Counties, is also involved in this endeavor.
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