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VISIT HEYSOCAL.COM
MONDAY, MAY 19- MAY 25, 2025
NO. 224
VOL. 14,
Over 134,000 LA County residents to receive medical debt relief
PUSD reports elevated levels of Eaton Fire toxins at 12 campuses
By City News Service
joet@beaconmedianews.com
By Joe Taglieri
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ore than 134,000 Los Angeles County residents will begin receiving notices next week by mail as part of the first wave of medical debt relief under a program launched last year, officials announced Thursday. Residents will receive a notice from LA County and national nonprofit Undue Medical Debt, informing recipients that their medical debt has been permanently cleared. It will also offer information for individuals who need help with additional medical bills. The total amount of debt being relieved through this first round of aid is nearly $183.6 million. “If you get a letter in the mail from LA County and Undue Medical Debt this week — open it. We’ve eliminated medical debt for more than 134,000 residents, no strings attached,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a statement. “This is real relief, and it’s hitting mailboxes soon.” Supervisor Holly Mitchell added, “Medical debt should never stand between our residents and the care they need.” In December 2024, the county launched its Medical Debt Relief Program, providing immediate financial relief by purchasing and eliminating medical debt for
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| Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
qualifying residents. The Board of Supervisors previously approved an initial $5 million for the program, which aims to retire $500 million in medical debt for low-income residents. County officials plan to eliminate up to $2 billion with contributions from philanthropic partners, hospitals and health plans. Undue Medical Debt acquires debt in bulk for a fraction of their face value from providers such as hospitals and health systems along with collection agencies, according to county officials. So, on average a $1 donation can erase $100 or more of medical debt. Eligible residents will
automatically receive an Undue Medical Debt/LA County-branded envelope in the mail without any need to apply. The program also connects residents with tools and resources to further reduce future medical debt. This medical debt relief is source-based, meaning only qualifying debts held by participating providers or collectors can be canceled. Relief cannot be requested. To qualify for relief, current LA County residents must be either at least four times below the federal poverty level or have medical debt that totals 5% or more of See Medical debt relief Page 27
their annual income. “Medical debt continues to be a significant burden for too many LA County residents, with the total debt estimated at over $2.9 billion in 2023 in LA County — a staggering amount that has not decreased despite gains in insurance coverage,” county Department of Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement. “While the launch of the Medical Debt Relief Program now brings relief letters to thousands of residents, we continue to work with hospitals and health care providers to improve
oil at 12 schools in Pasadena and Altadena has elevated levels of toxins following the Eaton Fire, the Pasadena Unified School District announced Wednesday night. A state-licensed environmental consulting firm tested soil samples at PUSD campuses following the devastating January wildfire and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s recent findings of soil with elevated levels of lead, school district officials said. “Unfortunately, after testing, some district campuses had impacted soil containing elevated levels of certain firerelated substances,” according to a PUSD statement. The campuses with elevated toxin levels found in soil are the Altadena Arts Magnet’s sites at Allendale Elementary and on Calaveras Street, Blair Middle and High School, Field Elementary, John Muir High School, Longfellow Elementary, Madison Elementary, Octavia E. Butler Magnet, San Rafael Elementary, Thurgood Marshall Secondary School, Webster Elementary and Washington Elementary. Individual school maps will be posted on the district’s website, with the final results of soil testing reports posted there in the coming days,
district officials said. “While the results for heavy metals like lead are in, other results may take longer,” officials said. “Maps will be updated as new data becomes available.” Several schools have been fully cleared with no elevated levels of harmful fire-related substances detected in soil samples. “These schools are safe for students and employees, and as a result, outdoor playfields and bare dirt areas at those campuses will fully reopen,” according to the district statement. “Normal operations — including recess, PE classes, and athletic team practices — will resume immediately at these locations.” A list of testing results from all PUSD campuses is online at pusd.us/fire-relief/ safety. “We want to be abundantly clear: safety is not negotiable,” PUSD Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco said in a statement. “That’s why we’re moving forward with both urgency and care. We are grateful to our school communities for their patience as we work to ensure that every student and employee has a safe environment to learn and grow.” PUSD officials implemented these measures
See PUSD reports Page 27
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