NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the state has renewed for the fifth time an order to halt the collection of medical and student debt owed to the state of New York that has been specifically referred to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) for collection.
In response to continuing financial impairments resulting from the spread of the coronavirus disease, the OAG will renew orders again from Aug. 16, 2020, through Friday, Sept. 4, 2020 — a date which coincides with Governor Cuomo’s most recent executive order tolling statutes of limitation and other legal time periods. After this period, the OAG will reassess the needs of state residents for another possible extension. Additionally, the OAG will accept applications for suspension of all other types of debt owed to the state of New York and referred to the OAG for collection, the AG’s office stated.
Helping ‘Tens of Thousands’
“Although New York has had remarkable success in containing the coronavirus, too many New Yorkers are still enduring the financial hardships of this pandemic,” said James. “We have the power to help tens of thousands of New Yorkers who are struggling to make ends meet, which is why we are again suspending the collection of state student and medical debt referred to my office. As we continue our work to stop the spread of this virus, we must also work to rebuild our economy and help New Yorkers get back on their feet, and that starts with ensuring our state’s residents are not unnecessarily burdened with additional debt payments at this time.”