伊利诺伊州两年抹除14亿美元医疗债务 近70万居民受益 州款投入不足1,000万美元
伊利诺伊州州长JB·普里茨克（JB Pritzker）10月15日在Chicago宣布，该州医疗债务减免计划运行两年来，已为全州102个县近70万名居民抹除超过14亿美元医疗债务，超过原定的10亿美元目标逾4亿美元，而州政府实际投入不足1,000万美元。
州长办公室公布的数据显示，受益居民超过69.4万人，人均减免超过1,200美元，单人最高一笔超过90万美元；每投入1美元州款，约可注销100美元以上债务，仅今年2月以来新增减免即超过3亿美元。若与库克县的同类项目合并计算，全州近150万人共有超过24亿美元医疗债务被注销。
该计划由州医疗保健与家庭服务部（HFS）经办，与非营利组织Undue Medical Debt合作，以批量收购方式从医疗机构等处购入居民医疗债务后直接注销。符合条件者为家庭收入不高于联邦贫困线400%的州内居民（约合三口之家年收入10万美元出头），或医疗债务达到家庭年收入5%以上者。计划不接受申请，符合条件者的债务被注销后会收到通知信。
普里茨克表示，不应有人仅仅因为生病就陷入财务困境。HFS局长伊丽莎白·怀特霍恩（Elizabeth M. Whitehorn）表示，医疗债务是许多家庭的重大负担，债务被注销对家庭的影响是实实在在的。（GSM 据伊利诺伊州州长办公室发布）
Illinois Erases $1.4 Billion in Medical Debt for Nearly 700,000 Residents in Two Years
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced in Chicago on October 15 that the state's Medical Debt Relief Program has, in its first two years, eliminated more than $1.4 billion in medical debt for nearly 700,000 residents across all 102 counties — surpassing its original $1 billion goal by more than $400 million while spending less than $10 million in state dollars.
According to the governor's office, more than 694,000 residents have benefited, with average relief of over $1,200 per person and a single largest relief amount of more than $900,000. Every state dollar invested erases more than $100 in debt, and over $300 million has been erased since February alone. Combined with Cook County's parallel efforts, nearly 1.5 million Illinoisans have had over $2.4 billion in medical debt eliminated.
The program is administered by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) in partnership with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt, which purchases bundled medical debts from health systems and other holders and abolishes them. Residents qualify if their household income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level — just over $100,000 a year for a family of three — or if their medical debt equals 5% or more of household income. There is no application; eligible households are notified by letter after their debt is erased.
Pritzker said no one should fall into financial ruin simply because they get sick. HFS Director Elizabeth M. Whitehorn said medical debt is a major burden for families and that having it eliminated can be life changing. (GSM, based on the Illinois Governor's Office release)
发布：GSM·美国（发布链接）
图片来源：伊利诺伊州议会大厦（斯普林菲尔德）· Daniel Schwen 摄 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
GSM Global · 本篇英文版 English edition of this story
