Last year, ECU Health and the national nonprofit Undue Medical Debt announced an initiative to help eliminate more than $186 million of past-due hospital medical debt for more than 32,000 qualifying patients. Under the Undue Medical Debt guidelines, eligible community members are those whose medical debt exceeds 5% or more of their annual income or who earn at or below four times the current federal poverty-level income (which is $31,200 for a family of four). Community members did not need to take any action, as the eligible hospital medical debt was automatically eliminated for those who qualified.
Debt relief letters were sent out in December and January, and now recipients are sharing their stories.
“This is a miracle that arrived at the right time,” said Nicolas M. of Winterville. He owed nearly $32,000 in medical debt. “These last few months have been especially difficult, but we always try to make the [debt] payments in one way or another.
When I entered the system to make my payment, I did not find the bill… to my surprise and joy I found the Undue letter, indicating that I owed nothing. It seems incredible to us; we thought we would never finish paying that debt. We never thought that something like this could happen to us. We cried with happiness and gratitude. Thank you very much for this help, you have been angels for us, and we will be eternally grateful.”
Heidi of Grosse Pointe had this to say: “When I read that Undue Medical Debt had paid off over $6,000 in medical expenses acquired when we were trying a biological chemotherapy to treat my conditions, a debt that would take me nearly a decade to pay off, I couldn’t believe it. I was floored [and] in complete shock. I just started crying in relief. I didn’t choose to get sick. Undue Medical Debt threw me not just a lifeline, but a complete escape raft. You have changed a life, and I’ll never forget it.”
“I didn’t even apply for assistance. I am so very thankful,” Beth of Edenton said when her more than $1,000 bill was abolished. “What an incredible way to start the year!” shared B.T. of Farmville, after their nearly $1,300 bill was forgiven.
Each debt relief recipient expressed surprise and gratitude at learning their medical debt had been forgiven.
This initiative aligns not only with the system’s commitment to serving underserved communities of the East, but it also ECU Health’s long-standing practice of non-predatory billing, which emphasizes charity care, zero-interest payment plans, transparent pricing and dedicated resources to help patients navigate financial requirements.
“Partnering with Undue Medical Debt allows us to live out ECU Health’s mission in a truly meaningful way – by extending empathy and support beyond the hospital walls,” said Andy Zukowski, chief financial officer at ECU Health. “Medical debt can be a significant burden for individuals and families, especially in the rural and underserved communities we are proud to serve. Through this collaboration, we’re able to help relieve that burden for those who qualify, reinforcing our commitment to improving the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina. It’s not just about financial relief – it’s about dignity, access and aligning our actions with our core values of integrity, compassion and accountability.”