Tzedek DC, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals with lower incomes manage their debt, has successfully advocated for the cancellation of over $42 million worth of medical debt for more than 62,000 D.C. residents. The relief was made possible through an investment from the D.C. Government, making it the first state-level government to invest in large-scale purchase and cancellation of medical debt. This initiative, championed by Mayor Bowser, is a significant step towards addressing health equity problems and poverty in the district.
A majority of the residents who will benefit from this debt relief are from zip codes that primarily consist of Black and community members of color. Those whose medical debt has been erased will receive a notification letter from Undue Medical Debt, a national nonprofit that acquires medical debt in bulk and cancels it. Tzedek DC will also be providing free services to assist residents with any questions related to the relief, including its impact on their credit reports.
Ariel Levinson-Waldman, the Founding Director of Tzedek DC, commended Mayor Bowser and Deputy Mayor Wayne Turnage for their commitment to addressing health equity issues through this initiative. Residents are encouraged to be on the lookout for a letter from Undue Medical Debt to confirm if they will be beneficiaries of the debt cancellation. This effort represents a significant victory for D.C. residents and underscores the importance of addressing medical debt as a barrier to financial health and well-being.
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