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Pritzker Erases $1.4B Medical Debt for 700,000 Illinoisans

By Drooid · Oct 16, 2026, 11:26 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Governor JB Pritzker erased $1.4 billion in medical debt for nearly 700,000 Illinois residents.
The Illinois Medical Debt Relief Program spent under $10 million in state funds to achieve the debt reduction.
The state partnered with nonprofit Undue Medical Debt, which buys bills at pennies-on-the-dollar and cancels them.
Residents earning up to 400 % of the federal poverty line or with debt >=5 % of income qualify, no application needed.
Average household relief was $1,200, while one recipient had $900,000 erased.

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Story summary

Governor JB Pritzker erased $1.4 billion in medical debt for nearly 700,000 Illinois residents.
The Illinois Medical Debt Relief Program spent under $10 million in state funds to achieve the debt reduction.
The state partnered with nonprofit Undue Medical Debt, which buys bills at pennies-on-the-dollar and cancels them.
Residents earning up to 400 % of the federal poverty line or with debt >=5 % of income qualify, no application needed.
Average household relief was $1,200, while one recipient had $900,000 erased.