Orange County, FL: With the funds left over from COVID-19, Orange County is well on its way to paying off medical debt before any other county in the state.
More than 100,000 Orange County residents will have their medical debts forgiven with the help of $4.5 million put aside by the county.
The commissioners had to strike a compromise between the medical debt relief plan and other existing objectives, such as money for mental health and homelessness, with only $23 million remaining in the American Rescue Plan Act’s grant money.
Nearly 300,000 Floridians would have had their medical debts forgiven with the help of $8.7 million in ARPA funds had Central Florida Jobs with Justice’s original proposal been considered by the board.
Since the commissioners only set aside $4.5 million to pay off medical debt, the county will have to figure out the program’s specifics, such as which residents qualify, before they can begin.
On Tuesday, six Orange County residents demanded that commissioners pay off their medical debt at a county commission hearing.
Ashe Heart, a psychology student and resident of Orange County, informed commissioners that she incurred exorbitant medical expenses after being hospitalized due to an asthma attack.
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A college loan would have been out of the question for her because of her $2,000 in medical bills. It has also made it harder for her to get the medical care she needs.
The commissioners have pledged to allocate ARPA funds to various other projects, such as affordable housing (5 million), mental health and homeless initiatives ($4.3 million), job assistance ($2.5 million) for residents, Second Harvest ($1 million) to combat food insecurity, and a new fire station ($5.7 million).
Some cities have already utilized the cash to pay off medical debt; others include New Orleans, Louisiana, Cooke County, Illinois, and Orange County, the first in the state to do so.
The county has stated that they are in discussions with the surrounding communities to determine the most effective course of action.
By the end of 2026, the county must have sorted out all the kinks in the program, such as who is eligible to participate, contracted with a service to manage the medical debt program, and spent all of their remaining COVID funds.