House Democrats have reintroduced their medical debt relief bill and the Health Committee has already scheduled a meeting to begin moving the bill. The House Health Committee is set to take up House Bill 79 at a meeting on January 29. Advocates for the proposal say about 1 million Pennsylvanians are struggling with medical debt. Proponents note that those with medical debt, and those afraid of accumulating medical debt, may avoid necessary medical appointments and treatment, which can lead to the need for more expensive care. During his 2024-25 budget address, Gov. Josh Shapiro called for investments to support Pennsylvanians who are being crushed by medical debt, especially those in rural communities. Medical debt impacts Pennsylvanians’ access to quality health care and affects their credit. With only $4 million, the commonwealth can erase nearly $400 million in medical debt for low-income Pennsylvanians by partnering with nonprofits that buy that debt from health care providers for pennies on the dollar. The Department of Health estimates that there is about $1.8 billion in medical debt burden being carried by residents across the state. The House passed a medical debt relief bill in 2023, but it never moved in the Senate.
