How one Ohio city is tackling the 'uniquely American problem' of medical debt

[ck4829]

As lawmakers were being elected and constituents were voting on key ballot measures this month, one Ohio city council passed a measure with the potential to make an enormous financial impact on its community: buying out and relieving the medical debt of its residents.

The Toledo City Council voted 7-5 in early November to use $800,000 of funds from the American Rescue Plan to buy out medical debt for qualifying residents. 

The Board of County Commissioners for Lucas County, for which Toledo is the county seat, also agreed to match this pledge, raising the funds to $1.6 million.

This measure was spearheaded by Toledo City Councilwoman Michele Grim (D), a longtime public health advocate who was recently elected to the Ohio House of Representatives. Around $240 million worth of debt is expected to be erased.

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/3748423-how-one-ohio-city-is-tackling-the-uniquely-american-problem-of-medical-debt/

[Stargazer99]

1. One of my adult children died from a condition that RX

Last edited Fri Nov 25, 2022, 02:14 PM - Edit history (2)

could have kept her alive. Apparently in this country poor people are not as valuable as the well to do. The worst part is my 14 yr old grandaughter awork that morning to find her mother dead on the floor and she has had major depression from that horrible experience.

[mahina]

4. Oh Stargazer

(((You and your family))))

[progressoid]

5. ...

[MLAA]

6. It is unconscionable that we don't have universal free healthcare and college/trade school

Education.

[Duppers]

9. YES! Indeed.

[Duppers]

10. 🕯️

So so sorry.

[Diamond_Dog]

2. This is a good example of what ARP finds should be used for!

And AG Yost wanted to use it for tax cuts. I’m glad he got slapped down in court over that.

[judesedit]

3. That is just wonderful. Saving people from disaster. Bravo

or Brava lol

[erronis]

7. This IS wonderful, but essentially the ARP funds will go to the creditors bank accounts.

Unfortunately it almost encourages more insurance/hospital/profiteers to try to get more of the government money.

Give them a few cents and they'll want your bank account.

[packman]

8. Wow- Did I just hear the whisper of socialistic medicine - IN OHIO!!

Next thing they'll be wanting to clothe the naked, feed the starving, house the homeless


Regardless, good for them.

Made me recall my father who had little regard for Ohio drivers, called them the worst in the nation for some reason.

[Grins]

11. Note the "D" after her name.

In Republican Ohio.