Next City
This City Spent $1 Million To Erase $90 Million in Residents’ Debt
March 25, 2026 · 33 min
Why listen
One Kentucky city erased $90 million in medical debt for $1 million, and the math actually works.
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In this episode
- How a city turned $1 million into $90 million in debt relief
- Why medical debt forces Americans to skip care they need
- The mechanics of buying and canceling debt at a steep discount
- What this model could mean for other cities facing the same crisis
About this episode
On a daily basis, thousands of Americans are faced with the choice of whether to seek needed medical care, or stay home untreated to avoid sliding further into debt. But one city in Kentucky has found a way to alleviate the dangerous pressures of medical debt for its residents.
About Next City
Join Lucas Grindley, executive director at Next City, where we believe journalists have the power to amplify solutions and spread workable ideas. Each week Lucas will sit down with trailblazers to discuss urban issues that get overlooked.
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