Nearly 72K Michiganders have over $74 million in medical debt erased

More than 71,000 Michiganders will have over $74 million in medical debt forgiven, the State of Michigan announced this week.

According to a press release from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's office, 71,871 Michiganders will have their medical debt erased under a collaboration with the national nonprofit Undue Medical Debt.

The debt was sourced from local hospitals, which wish to remain anonymous.

Related: Wayne County erases $27 million in medical debt for more than 46K county residents
Related: $6 million in medical debt eliminated for more than 6,000 Oakland County residents
Related: Governor Whitmer erases $144 million in medical debt for more than 210,000 Michigan residents

"Here in Michigan, we believe being sick or getting injured shouldn’t mean going broke. That’s why I’m proud to partner with Undue Medical Debt, so we can erase over $74 million of medical debt for almost 72,000 Michiganders across the state. This action ensures fewer Michigan families must choose between putting food on the table or paying their medical bills, at a time when so many already are struggling with rising costs on the essentials driven by tariffs, cuts to Medicaid, and the Iran War. Let’s keep working together to address medical debt in Michigan," Whitmer said in a release.

"I'm grateful to Governor Whitmer and the state of Michigan for this continued commitment to erasing the financial and emotional burden of medical debt — now reaching more than $200 million in relief for over 280,000 Michiganders," said Allison Sesso, the president and CEO of Undue Medical Debt. "No one chooses to get sick, be in an accident or have a chronic condition, and no family should have to choose between putting food on the table and paying their medical bills."

This follows an announcement last summer where the state erased $144 million in medical debt for 210,000 residents.

The details for the top 10 counties that received relief are below. The state said other areas will see more relief as forgiveness continues.