While President Joe Biden has focused on reducing student loan debt, a new poll shared by The Associated Press reveals that about half of Americans believe it is extremely or very important for the US government to provide debt relief for those who have not yet paid off medical treatments.
The poll, which provides a comprehensive snapshot of public opinion, was conducted from May 16-21, 2024, and included a diverse sample of 1,309 adults. The sample was drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, a well-regarded resource designed to be representative of the US population.
The poll strongly supports medical debt forgiveness, especially in healthcare fraud cases. Approximately two-thirds of US adults favor forgiving medical debt if the individual has been wrongfully billed for services.
The poll reveals that the public's support for debt relief extends to various scenarios. For instance, a majority supports debt relief when a patient has made on-time payments toward an existing loan for 20 years, or when they are burdened with massive medical debt relative to their income. The public also shows understanding and empathy towards those experiencing financial hardship. Interestingly, the poll also highlights the differing views of those with and without medical debt, with about 60% of those with medical debt favoring forgiveness if the debt is more than what they can earn, compared to about 50% of those without medical debt.
Biden Administration's Efforts for Medical Debt
Since the pandemic, numerous cities and states, including Connecticut, New York City, New Orleans, and Chicago, have introduced their versions of medical debt forgiveness. According to VCPost, the Biden administration has also proposed a rule to remove consumer medical debt from most credit reports.
Interestingly, the poll reveals bipartisan support for medical debt forgiveness in healthcare fraud. However, Democrats are generally more supportive than Republicans in situations involving financial hardship or significant debt relative to income.
About two-thirds of Democrats, compared to about 30% of Republicans, consider it extremely or very important for the government to provide medical debt relief.
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