ECU Health, nonprofit erase $180M in medical debt for 30,000 in Eastern Carolina

GREENVILLE, N.C. — More than $180 million in medical debt for over 30,000 people in Eastern Carolina will soon be erased, thanks to a partnership between ECU Health and the nonprofit organization Undue Medical Debt.

Daniel Lempert, director of communications for Undue Medical Debt, explained that medical debts are often bought and sold in large, bundled portfolios at low prices. “Since medical debts are bought and sold very cheaply in these large, bundled portfolios, you can actually use donated dollars to buy them cheaply and then erase them,” Lempert said.

The initiative is funded through donations from providers, individuals, and other organizations. Lempert highlighted the significant return on investment, stating, “We’re spending, you know, one dollar donated to us on average, will erase over 100 dollars of medical debt so, I mean there’s a really big ROI on this.”

Qualifying individuals include those earning four times less than the poverty-level income, approximately $31,000 a year, and those whose medical debts exceed 5 percent of their annual income.

“Ideally, once medical debt has been erased, people are more willing in the North Carolina community to go back and seek the care that they need because we hear from people all the time, fear of getting debt or existing medical debt often prevents people from engaging with the health care system,” Lempert said.

Qualifying patients will receive a letter from Undue Medical Debt throughout December and January.

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