Pittsburgh City Council approves using $1M to wipe out 24,000 residents' medical debt

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Pittsburgh City Council members approved wiping out medical debt for residents in the proposed 2023 budget, according to our partners at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The legislation introduced by Councilman Bobby Wilson would set aside up to $1 million for a partnership with the New York-based nonprofit RIP Medical Debt.

Wilson said RIP Medical Debt buys large portfolios of qualifying medical debt for pennies on the dollar, and instead of collecting the debt, the nonprofit forgives it. 

According to Wilson, $1 million would allow RIP Medical Debt to buy and discharge about $115 million of health care debt owed by about 24,000 Pittsburghers. 

The council will take a final vote on the budget on Monday.