The Crushing Impact Of Medical Debt In Los Angeles (And Other Headlines)

In the United States, we know that a trip in an ambulance or even a short stint in the emergency room will deliver most folks a huge, possibly overwhelming bill that could translate to thousands of dollars out of the bank.

More Than $2.6 Billion In Medical Debt Shared Among L.A. County Residents

I’ve been there. Getting a medical bill in the mail almost sent me back to the ER.

Medical debt is weighing down a lot of Americans. Now, a new analysis provided to LAist by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health highlights how big a burden it is here. The report found that roughly one in 10 Angelenos have some amount of debt due to medical bills. In total, the collective debt in 2021 was more than $2.6 billion.

My colleague Jackie Fortiér wrote about the issue and reported that uninsured people in L.A. had the greatest debt burden but that insurance did not necessarily protect folks from incurring a lot of costs from medical treatments. For many, it's the high deductibles that lead to bills piling up.

“I got the debt because I had to go to the doctor constantly, I had to check my health in general, and eventually the results showed I had to get tested again,” said Graciela Flores, who pays $400 a month in health insurance premiums.

Then a hospitalization put Flores behind. And, as Jackie reported, once the medical bills pile up for people, it becomes more challenging to pay other bills, like rent and utilities.

“Medical debt is associated with a huge increase in housing insecurity,” said Dr. Naman Shah, a practicing physician and county public health's director of the Division of Medical and Dental Affairs.

For more details about why L.A. County residents have accrued so much medical debt, check out Jackie’s article here.

There’s more news below — just keep reading.

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(After you stop hitting snooze)

• On Tuesday, Los Angeles County officials made a decision to create an LGBTQ+ commission to advise on issues concerning the community. Meanwhile, on the same day, Orange County officials voted for flag restrictions on county buildings — stopping short of specifying Pride flags.  Read the details in my colleague Caitlin Hernández’s story. 
• Do you live in or near Inglewood? Did you know there is an almost 100-year-old oil field that is exposing you to pollutants? The California Air and Resources Board has chosen neighborhoods in the area to be a part of an air-monitoring study looking into its effects on  air quality and residents’ health. To learn more about this study, register and attend the virtual meeting tonight from 6 to 8 p.m.
• Kids in L.A. County juvenile detention facilities could soon be receiving hands-on music programming from an organization called Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, or ICYOLA. This comes weeks after the state ordered the county to transfer youth from two struggling facilities into Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey. My colleague Robert Garrova wrote about what this program would entail and who it would serve. 
• California has some of the coldest temperatures in the country right now and it appears the clouds will be sticking around L.A. all week. If you wanna know why these gray skies are lingering, listen to the How to LA podcast for an explainer — plus a couple reasons you may actually want to be happy about this weird, cool  weather. 
•  Imelda Padilla and Marisa Alcaraz, the two candidates running for the L.A. City Council District 6 seat in San Fernando Valley, participated in a live debate on the LAist 89.3 public affairs show AirTalk earlier this week. Here's the recap. 
• Many teenagers who graduate from California’s juvenile detention centers leave without knowing how to read and write at grade level. EdSource has a report on this decades-old problem and what it would take to transform juvenile justice. 
• Are you a creator? The L.A. Public Library is calling for two creative people to be part of a six- to nine-month residency focused on highlighting the importance of the accessibility of the public library space. They will award $10,000 to those chosen.
• Two L.A.-based chefs and a restaurant won James Beard Awards. There were several others who were nominated. Here’s a story about how winner Margarita Manke’s République was saved by its award-winning pastry staples.

Wait! One more thing

The LAist college waitlist guide

Shirleen Achieng graduated from UC Irvine in 2020.

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Courtesy of Shirleen Achieng

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Being on a college waitlist can be an emotional process for high school students and their families. It’s like being in limbo, not really sure when you’ll finally hear back. To help navigate this sometimes murky process, my colleague Adolfo Guzman-Lopez has a guide for those currently playing the waiting game.

Sometimes it's about available space. Colleges like California State University, Long Beach, for example, have to first figure out how many students accept the first round of admission offers. Then they can decide how many additional offers to dish out.

And if you or your student just can’t bear to wait, consider going to a school that has accepted the student and just transfer later.

If you want to know the odds of getting off the waitlist at one of the most popular California campuses or just how the college admission decisions process works, please read Adolfo’s story here.