Board of Commissioners’ $100,000 investment helps launch relief effort in partnership with statewide program
Kalamazoo, Michigan – July 17, 2025 – Earlier today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced medical debt relief for residents across multiple Michigan communities, including Kalamazoo County. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, 7,231 Kalamazoo County residents had a total of $2,485,832.33 in medical debt erased—offering immediate financial relief to families burdened by the high cost of healthcare.
With an ARPA allocation of $100,000 from the Board of Commissioners, Kalamazoo County partnered with the national nonprofit Undue Medical Debt to carry out this effort, turning a local investment into significant relief for thousands of residents who qualified based on income or the burden of their medical debt.
“Medical debt is a real health issue. When people are drowning in medical bills, they delay care, avoid treatment, and carry stress that affects every part of their lives,” said Jen Strebs, Chair of the Board of Commissioners. “No one should have to choose between their health and their financial future. This was a chance to help our neighbors live healthier, more secure lives.”
Eligible residents were identified automatically through Undue Medical Debt using provider and credit data, and they were notified by mail; no application process was required. Medical debt relief is source-based, meaning the nonprofit must work with providers like hospitals or collection agencies to purchase qualifying medical debts in bulk. Debts are acquired for pennies on the dollar, meaning one dollar erases, on average, $100 of medical debt. Program beneficiaries will receive a branded letter in the mail from Undue Medical Debt starting this week, notifying them that some or all of their debt has been erased.
Kalamazoo residents eligible for debt relief include individuals who earn 400% of the federal poverty level or below (about $100,000 for a family of three) or who owe at least 5% of their annual income in outstanding medical bills.
Most recipients earned less than $50,000 annually, with 66% falling at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Households of all sizes benefited, and more than half of the individuals were under the age of 45. The medical debt relief also reached across Kalamazoo County ZIP codes, with the greatest number of individuals residing in 49048, 49001, and 49009.
The County’s investment had wide-reaching effects across ages, incomes, and neighborhoods—and for many, the impact goes beyond numbers.
“Every dollar of medical debt we helped eliminate is one less barrier standing in someone’s way. Whether it’s a parent trying to care for their family or one of our elders recovering from an illness, this is about giving people the room to move forward with dignity and less worry,” said Strebs.
Residents who have questions about the medical debt relief program or their eligibility should visit unduemedicaldebt.org for more information.