JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $1,000,000 FOR THE PURCHASE, CANCELLATION AND FORGIVENESS OF MEDICAL DEBT (Authorizes the appropriation of the sum of $1,000,000 for the continued purchase, cancellation and forgiveness of medical debt consistent with section 35-4-21.1 of the General Laws.)
Summary
H5975 is a joint resolution that appropriates $1,000,000 from the state treasury for fiscal year 2025-2026 to continue Rhode Island’s medical debt relief efforts. The money would be used to purchase medical debt on the secondary market and then cancel and forgive it, consistent with the existing Rhode Island Medical Relief Program under § 35-4-21.1. The resolution does not create a new program; it provides additional funding for an existing one.
The bill’s stated purpose is to reduce the burden of medical debt on Rhode Islanders, which the resolution describes as a major source of financial stress and a problem that disproportionately affects veterans, older adults, people with disabilities, and minority populations. It relies on the premise that medical debt can often be bought for pennies on the dollar, allowing the state to eliminate a larger amount of debt than the appropriation amount alone would suggest.
Impact
If enacted, the resolution would authorize a $1 million expenditure from unappropriated treasury funds and direct the state controller and general treasurer to carry out the payment. Its practical effect would be to expand the state’s ability to acquire and forgive qualifying medical debt under § 35-4-21.1, but it would not amend the underlying statute. The main affected parties would be Rhode Islanders carrying medical debt, especially those facing financial hardship, as well as the state treasury and the existing medical debt relief administration.
Sentiment
The bill is framed in strongly supportive terms, with the sponsors emphasizing the financial and psychological harms of medical debt and presenting continued funding as a way to help end medical debt in Rhode Island. The available context does not show recorded opposition, committee debate, or votes, so the overall sentiment appears favorable and aligned with consumer relief and public assistance goals.
Contention
The main policy question implicit in the resolution is whether the state should spend general funds on medical debt cancellation rather than on other priorities. Potential points of contention include the use of public money for debt purchase, the effectiveness of debt cancellation compared with broader health care or affordability reforms, and whether the program primarily provides one-time relief rather than structural change. No specific objections, amendments, or recorded dissent are included in the provided history.