The Atrius Health Equity Foundation has funded a debt relief initiative in eastern Massachusetts, with over 27,000 residents receiving letters announcing their medical debt has been wiped out. The initiative, which includes an average of $1,560 per recipient, targeted residents who earn at or below the federal poverty level or have medical debt at or above 5% of their annual income. The debt could cover anything from emergency room visits to cancer treatment to mental health services. The first tranche of funding cleared $42 million in debt for over 25,000 people last year.