FOX 32 ChicagoCOOK COUNTY - Getting sick is hard enough — but the medical bills that follow can be just as painful. Which is why years ago, Cook County created a program to help people tackle medical debt.
What we know:
On Thursday, Cook County board President Toni Preckwinkle touted its success.
"We’re stepping in where the system has failed and where families would otherwise be left to shoulder these costs alone," Preckwinkle said.
Cook County leaders provided an update on the Medical Debt Relief Initiative, which was launched by the county in 2022 using $9 million in COVID funds.
The county partners with a company called Undue Medical Debt, which buys up old and uncollectible bills from hospitals and health centers for a fraction of the price--then forgives that debt.
Preckwinkle said since t
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