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Medical Debt in California: As Permanent Solutions Take Root, Blacks Remain Hardest Hit

On June 26, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a $5 million pilot program to eliminate up to $500 million in medical debt owed by an estimated 150,000 residents. The funds will be used for an agreement with Undue Medical Debt, a non-profit organization that buys unpaid debt at a fraction of its original cost and absolves it. The effort is expected to launch later this year. The initiative, authored by Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Janice Hahn, intends to eventually buy a total of $2.9 billion in medical debt, impacting some 800,000 L.A. County residents.

Published

2 years ago

July 20, 2024

Oakland Post

Russell Stiger, California Black Media.

By Edward Henderson California Black Media

On June 11, Vice President Kamala Harris and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director (CFPB) Rohit Chopra announced that the Biden administration has established a new federal rule that removes medical debt from the credit reports of nearly 15 million Americans. The rule also bans reporting agencies from factoring that debt into credit scores.

“We are making it so that medical debt cannot be used against you when you apply for a car loan, a home loan, or a small-business loan,” said the Vice President.

“Millions of Americans will see an increase in their credit score, on average, of 20 points, which will mean every year an estimated 22,000 more American families will be approved for a mortgage and able to buy a home,” she added.

The federal government and Los Angeles County are not alone in trying to find permanent solutions to the worrisome problem of medical debt. Policymakers and advocates in California and around the country have been proposing a range of solutions to address the escalating problem of medical debt, which burdens people at all income levels, but falls especially hard on middle-class Black people.

In 2020, nearly 23.5% of Americans earning between $50,000 and $100,000 had medical debt that they could not afford to pay according to a study by Third Way, a Washington-D.C.-based think tank.

For African Americans, the numbers are particularly concerning. About 38% of Black Americans have accrued medical debt they can’t afford to pay.

“Medical debt is more than a financial burden; it is a profound health crisis that disproportionately impacts Black Californians, stripping them of economic security and mental peace, perpetuating a cycle of economic insecurity and health disparities in communities already vulnerable,” states Kellie Todd Griffin, President & CEO of California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute.

Why do Black people have so much more medical debt than their White peers? Researchers from the National Consumer Law Center point to both the racial wealth gap and the racial health gap. In their 2022 report on medical debt, they found that “racial inequality underlies these disparities in medical debt.” Without equal opportunities to earn, save and build wealth through homeownership, Black people are less able to pay their medical bills, which leaves them unable to get medical care. This leads to a spiral of debt and poor health.”

According to the California Reparations Report, in 2019, the median African American household had a net worth of $24,100 as compared to the median net worth of white households of $188,200.

According to the report, “This wealth gap persists regardless of education level and family structure.”

Consider the case of Bethany Harris, a Black, middle-class resident of San Diego.

When excruciating back pain drove Harris to seek medical attention, she had no idea that doctors would admit her and recommend gallbladder surgery. She ended up spending three days in the hospital.

Despite having a stable professional job and employer-provided health, Harris was shocked to receive a $4,500 co-pay for her initial care and tests. A year later, the surgery added another $6,500 in co-pay responsibility.

“The co-pay is ridiculous,” Harris told California Black Media. I have been spending all this money out of my paycheck for 20 years for insurance. I barely use it outside of annual physicals and eyeglasses. It’s crazy, there is no way I can afford this stuff.”

For middle-class Black Californians like Harris, their income level often disqualifies them from most institutional discounts, government financial assistance, and nonprofit assistance.

Rhonda Smith, Executive Director of the California Black Health Network (CBHN), told California Black Media, “People with medical debt absolutely have rights.”

“California requires hospitals to provide financial aid to patients.” Download your hospital’s financial aid policy. You can get the policies and applications in the state on the California Department of Health Access and Information (HCAI) website.”

Dr. Naman Shah is a family physician and epidemiologist at the LA Department of Public Health, where he is Director for the Division of Medical and Dental Affairs.

Shah mentioned some of the other pitfalls that can plunge individuals further into debt, including medical credit cards and dubious or unclear billing methods employed by some hospitals. In addition, debt collections agencies will apply unscrupulous methods and, according to a study by ProPublica, disproportionately target Black communities.

A range of policies and programs to address medical debt are in motion across the country and here in California. In January 2024, New York City Mayor Eric Adams approved $18 million to purchase the medical debt of 500,000 New Yorkers, saving them up to $2 billion.

In March, state Attorney General Rob Bonta, Senator Monique Limón (D- Santa Barbara), and a coalition of prominent consumer advocacy organizations unveiled Senate Bill 1061 (SB 1061), legislation seeking to protect the financial security of Californians by prohibiting medical debt from being listed on credit reports.

Before Harris announced the White House rule, U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (D-VT.) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR.) and U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA-17) introduced legislation in May to cancel some $220 billion in medical debt owed by Americans across the country.

“This is the United States of America, the richest country in the history of the world. People in our country should not be going bankrupt because they got cancer and could not afford to pay their medical bills,” said Sanders.  “The time has come to cancel all medical debt and guarantee health care to all as a human right, not a privilege.”

This article is supported by the California Black Health Journalism Project, a program created by California Black Media, that addresses the top health challenges African Americans in California face. It relies on the input of community and practitioners; an awareness of historical factors, social contexts and root causes; and a strong focus on solutions as determined by policymakers, advocates and patients.

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IN MEMORIAM: Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Dies at 74

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The Ladies of Delta Sigma Theta Hold Day of Advocacy at the Capitol in Sacramento

A member of the “Divine Nine,” Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., was founded on Jan. 13, 1913, at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The organization was established by 22 women who sought to shift the group’s focus from social activities to public service, academic excellence, and social activism.

Published

1 week ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sen. Laura Richardson (D-San Pedro) presents a Senate resolution to the Delta Theta Sigma Sorority Farwest Region at the State Capitol on May 4. Photo courtesy of the Senate Rules Committee.

By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media

On May 4, members of the Farwest Region of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., convened at the California State Capitol for the organization’s 23rd annual Delta Days in Sacramento.

The two-day advocacy event brings together chapters from across California to engage directly in the legislative process, connect with lawmakers, and advocate for policies impacting Black communities.

Members of the sorority were honored on the Senate floor by Sen. Laura Richardson (D-San Pedro), who is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta.

Richardson welcomed the Farwest Region during the presentation of a Senate resolution recognizing outgoing Regional Director Kimberly Usher for her leadership and service.

“In addition to the Far West Region, we are led by a fearless leader, regional director Kimberly Usher. She has now served her full term of what’s allowed,” Richardson said. “We are going to be having our regional conference, but we wanted to give it to her here, officially recognizing her service.”

The resolution was co-authored by Richardson and fellow members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) and Delta Sigma Theta, Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego) and Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom (D-Stockton).

Usher has served in the leadership role since 2022.

“We are founded on sisterhood that is deeply rooted in scholarship, service, and social action,” said Weber Pierson, a member of the Gamma Alpha chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

“Today, we continue a legacy of empowering communities and upholding the high cultural, intellectual, and moral standards established by our founders over a century ago,” she added.

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Rep. Kamlager-Dove Introduces Bill to Protect Women in Custody After Reports Detailing Miscarriages and Neglect

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

Published

1 week ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) on May 7, reintroduced updated legislation aimed at strengthening protections and healthcare standards for pregnant and postpartum women held in federal custody, including in immigration detention facilities.

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

The legislation builds on a bipartisan version previously passed by the House during the 117th Congress. The updated bill includes new standards for healthcare access, mental health and substance use treatment, high-risk pregnancy care, family unity protections and increased federal oversight.

“Proper pregnancy care is a human right, regardless of your immigration or incarceration status,” Kamlager-Dove said in a statement. “It’s unacceptable that there are virtually no legal safeguards for pregnant women in federal custody.”

The bill would also limit the use of restraints and restrictive housing for pregnant women, improve data collection on maternal health in custody and require additional staff training and enforcement measures.

Supporters of the measure said the legislation is intended to address long-standing concerns about maternal healthcare and safety in detention settings, particularly for Black women and low-income women who are disproportionately impacted by incarceration and health disparities.

“Pregnant women in custody should never be subjected to dangerous and inhumane treatment that threatens their health, dignity, or the well-being of their babies,” said Patrice Willoughby, chief of policy and legislative affairs for the NAACP and a longtime public policy and government affairs strategist, in a statement.

A 2021 report estimated there are about 58,000 admissions of pregnant women into U.S. jails and prisons each year. Kamlager’s statement also cited a recent investigation by NBC News and Bloomberg Law that identified allegations of severe mistreatment or medical neglect involving at least 54 pregnant women or families in county jails between 2017 and 2024.

Federal policy under the Department of Homeland Security restricts the detention of pregnant, postpartum and nursing immigrants except in extreme cases. However, the agency reported that ICE deported 363 pregnant, postpartum or nursing women between January 2025 and February 2026, including 16 recorded miscarriages during that period.

The bill is cosponsored by several House Democrats and backed by organizations including the NAACP and the Vera Institute of Justice.

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OPINION: The Fire of Oakland’s Justin Jones

Jones made headlines three years ago when he was one of a pair of Justins. Along with fellow State Rep. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis), he fought their removal from the state house in Tennessee and won reinstatement. Now, Pearson is running for Congress and Jones is still fighting for all of us.

Published

1 week ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Tennessee State Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville). File photo.

By Emil Amok Guillermo

You may know Tennessee State Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville).

He grew up in Oakland and the East Bay. His mother is Filipino. You can tell by his full name Justin Shea Bautista Jones.

His father is African American.

He is fighting for all of us.

Now, Pearson is running for Congress and Jones is still fighting for all of us.

The recent 6-3 Supreme Court decision barring the use of race in drawing congressional districts marks a major turning point in U.S. history.

The decision took away the Voting Rights Act’s power to assure minority voices were both heard and represented.

“What we’re seeing now is this new Jim Crow system in which Black and Brown communities are without voice in our political process,” he told Fredricka Whitfield on CNN last weekend.

“That’s a canary in the coal mine for the rest of the nation. If they come for one of us, they’re coming for all of us, and some of my message to America is that the South is the front line of democracy,” Jones said. “They are dismantling multi-racial democracy here in the South, in states like Tennessee and Louisiana. But they aren’t going to stop here.”

That’s why Jones said we have to start paying attention to the South, and start helping them fight back there,” he said.

“I want to be clear that this terror, this type of system they’re enacting, are the same systems my grandparents told me about who grew up in Tennessee, a system where people like me couldn’t even be in political office. That’s the time they’re bringing us back to and I’m not sounding the alarm to be alarmist. But I am sounding it because we’ve seen this before in our history.”

Jones talked about Reconstruction and about what happened between the end of the 1800s and the beginning of the 1960s, when there was no Black political representation.

It’s a rebellion to keep our democracy going forward, he said.

“Stand with us and help us fight back against this extremist power grab — this racist power grab against our vision of a multi-racial democracy,” Jones added.

“While there is a litigation strategy, it’s important to maintain what he called a “movement strategy” that leads to the largest voter mobilization and registration that has ever been seen in the South,” he encouraged.

In 2026.

“Tennessee is an oppressed state,” Jones said. “It’s a state where one in five Black voters can’t vote because of felony disenfranchisement. It is where you can use a gun permit to vote, but you can’t use a student ID card to vote.

That’s the Asian American African American voice of Justin Jones.

Read his words for inspiration.

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is a veteran journalist, commentator, and comic stage monologist. His new show “69, Emil Amok: Anchorman—The News Made Me Do It,” is at the San Diego Fringe at New Destiny/Lincoln Park, 4931 Logan Ave. Ste. 102. May 14-23, at various times. Get tickets here.