Undue Medical Debt has canceled $53.3 billion in U.S. medical bills since 2014, yet a survey of privately insured adults shows that patients with coverage continue to carry debt.
The nonprofit says its relief has reached more than 32.8 million people in the United States. It purchases qualifying debt in bulk and cancels the balances. Patients cannot apply for individual relief.
A Commonwealth Fund analysis published Sept. 17 drew on a 2025 survey of adults ages 19 to 64 who had continuous private insurance for the preceding 12 months. It found that 32% were paying off health care bills over time. The finding describes that insured group, rather than all U.S. adults.
Debt affected more than household finances. Among respondents with unpaid medical bills, 30% reported reducing spending on essentials such as food, heat or rent. The same share said they had delayed or avoided care they needed.
Illinois offered an example of the relief program’s reach on Oct. 15. The state said its partnership with Undue had erased more than $1.4 billion in bills for nearly 700,000 residents while using less than $10 million in state funds. Illinois cited an earlier Cook County program as a precedent for its statewide effort.
The relief total and the amount of debt still owed cover different periods. In an analysis published in 2024 using 2021 federal survey data, KFF estimated U.S. medical debt at no less than $220 billion. It estimated that about 14 million people owed more than $1,000, including about 3 million who owed more than $10,000.
Undue President and CEO Allison Sesso called cancellation a “stopgap for people that need help today” in an interview with The Guardian. The Commonwealth Fund identified deductibles and high provider prices as drivers of new debt. It recommended stronger hospital financial assistance, eliminating deductibles in commercial insurance plans and capping provider payment rates.
