Rip Medical Debt Here's how...
We support this worthy cause...so can you...
Thanks to the amazing generosity of you, our donors and supporters, RIP Medical Debt is poised to end the year by abolishing medical debt for more than 250,000 individuals, veterans, and families.
Thank you
A most glorious shout-out to two ladies in Ithaca whose campaign to abolish debt resulted in debt forgiveness for over 1,300 individuals! The New York Times article, which went viral, shed light on how Judith Jones and Carolyn Kenyon chose RIP to abolish $1.5M in medical debt to draw attention to their work with Campaign for New York Health. Their random act of kindness has inspired Americans across the country and now they are continuing their journey by raising funds to erase veterans medical debt through their #CureVetDebt campaign.
This, along with all of RIP's donors and campaigns, will relieve medical debt of another thousand or more individuals just in time for the holidays.
So, what is in our year-end report given so many wonderful stories?
Over 250,000 individuals received debt relief because of our donors.
Over 60,000 veterans are included in that number.
$69M (and counting) of medical debt erased through media campaigns.
Kudos to NBC for abolishing more than $26M of debt!
More than $15M of debt eradicated by faith-based organizations. We are
grateful to Covenant Church in Texas, Fincastle Church of Virginia, and
New Hope Assembly Church of Arkansas for spearheading this effort.
Let us not forget the HUGE generosity of an anonymous couple to end this
year
End Medical Debt – the Book
Founders Jerry Ashton and Craig Antico, along with board member Robert Goff, wrote a powerful publication about the medical debt crisis and what can be done to end it. The system is broken. How it got that way and what to do about it are clearly and emphatically delineated throughout the book. New York State Assemblyman (103rd District) Kevin A. Cahill has this to say: “Where there are no acceptable answers yet, people are creating them. [The authors] are spreading the word that medical debt is a personal and national crisis. More so, they are offering answers that are gaining national attention.”
Go to Amazon to get your copy - the authors' proceeds will be donated to RIP Medical Debt - meaning each book sold will abolish at least $500 in debt!
Yuletide Tales to Warm You - True Stories
From Laura: “I opened an envelope meant for my nephew last night and was shocked that someone in this country still cares. According to the letter, you paid off a bill for Mike. Mike passed away in 2015 from injuries he received in a horrible car accident. He lived with his mom and cared for her as she is disabled. The fact that this is one bill that will no longer be calling her is amazing. She is as grateful as I am. Thank you for making a difference in our lives. I wish I had money to help others and if I am ever in that position, you will be number one on my list." From Michael: "I want to say I am in awe. My son received a letter from you saying his medical debt had been paid. If this is true, you have no idea what it means to him and ourselves [sic]. He served 4 years and was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. He was removed from the Corp for suffering from PTSD when he arrived home with 4 months remaining on his time and unable to get his benefits. He had a panic attack shortly after returning home and that is how this debt occurred. He certainly could not pay it, and I am disabled and my wife and I live check to check. So, thank you does not seem enough to say, but THANK YOU." There are many more stories like these that show just how far your dollar can go - as you all know, one dollar erases $100 of debt. You have the power to make an impact in the lives of those who deserve relief from oppressive medical debt. We are grateful to everyone who has made a donation this year and ask that you continue to support RIP's mission to erase $1 billion of medical debt by 2020. Please give the gift of freedom from medical debt today. Happy holidays from the RIP Medical Debt Team!
