‘I didn’t believe it’: Illinois, Cook County wipe out $2B in medical debt for pennies on dollar | Capitol News Illinois

posted by Kristi Wachter on August 16, 2026

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March 6, 2026

Illinois and Cook County wipe out $2B in medical debt, helping more than 1M residents start fresh.

Excerpt

Gov. JB Pritzker said during a news conference on Tuesday, March 3, that the Illinois Medical Debt Relief Program has erased $1.1 billion in medical debt, with patients receiving an average of about $1,200 in relief. Cook County’s Medical Debt Relief Initiative has eliminated an additional $820 million in medical debt since it launched its program in 2022.

“Countless people across the state are living proof that this program is more than clearing numbers on a ledger,” Pritzker said. “It is about giving people the freedom and the opportunity to build and live their lives. Lifting the burden of medical debt restores hope. It provides a sense of security.”

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‘I didn’t believe it’: Illinois, Cook County wipe out $2B in medical debt for p…

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