The Atrius Health Equity Foundation, based in Boston, and New York-based Undue Medical Debt announced the cancellation of the unpaid bills on Thursday. The initiative, established in 2024, has now cleared more than $293 million in medical debt, the organizations said.

Residents may qualify if their annual income is below $64,000 or if their medical debt is at least 5% of their yearly income. Undue Medical Debt will notify eligible residents by mail; recipients do not need to apply for the relief, according to the program details provided by the nonprofits.

Medical debt affects about one in eight people in Massachusetts and disproportionately burdens people of color, said Dr. Ann Hwang, president of the Atrius Health Equity Foundation. She said medical bills are often unlike other consumer debt because they arise from illness rather than discretionary spending.

Hwang also warned that debt can discourage people from seeking medical care later, potentially worsening their health. The relief effort, she said, is intended to address medical debt as both a health problem and an issue of health equity.

In June, the partnership announced $170 million in debt relief for more than 140,000 Massachusetts residents. Nationwide, medical debt is a leading cause of personal bankruptcy.