The city of Flint is going to take part in a program to eliminate medical debt for some city residents.
The city council Wednesday approved spending $50,000 to leverage state and private funding that could eliminate around $32 million in medical debt.
Reverend Monica Villarreal says the program will target medical debt by first negotiating with Genesee County hospitals.
“These dollars and this program really does focus on our local Genesee County service providers of which most Flint residents go to for their primary care, their secondary care, and for emergency care,” said Villarreal.
Flint residents with incomes up to 400% of the poverty line are eligible for the program.
Villarreal expects it will take several months to begin the process of identifying and paying off the medical debts of 10,000 to 12,000 Genesee County residents.
The group Undue Medical Debt is already working on similar programs with Oakland County, Ingham County, Kalamazoo County, and Wayne County.
