Christmas time is widely considered to be filled with peace, love, and abundance. People of all ages gather to celebrate this special holiday with their families – each with their own traditions and sentiments of faith. Unfortunately, it is a sad truth that during this time of abundance, many are faced with feelings of scarcity and dread due to the seemingly insurmountable burden placed upon them by unpayable medical debts.

Medical debt is more than just a financial injustice – it directly impacts the mental and spiritual health of folks. In a critical collaboration, RIP Medical Debt, The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) sponsored a national survey by PerryUndem. This study reveals the pervasive impact of medical debt, with nearly 50% of respondents struggling under its weight and experiencing severe mental health issues. Additionally, a striking 80% view medical debt as a systemic failure rather than individual fault. These findings highlight the urgent need for policy changes to make healthcare more affordable, echoing the sentiments of a significant majority nationwide.

Meet Ashley from Henagar, AL

Amount abolished $2,457

“I owed an outstanding debt that I could not pay due to unfortunate circumstances. God sent a gift of an anonymous donor, and I give glory to God. Thank you!”

That’s where we come in. We are RIP Medical Debt – a nationwide 501(c)3 whose mission is to end medical debt. With our unique debt-relief model, a $100 donation is leveraged to abolish around $10,000 of medical debt. We purchase medical debt in bulk for pennies on the dollar and immediately erase it – no strings attached.

Christians and people of faith across the country have partnered with us and provided folks across the nation with a glimmer of hope by supporting our mission. This holiday season, your donations will be touching even more lives. Thanks to an anonymous benefactor, we are matching up to $2 million in medical debt relief, further extending our assistance so that your contributions can do more to alleviate financial burdens and address the deeper social and emotional challenges that come with them. 

Thanks to the generosity and compassion of our donors nationwide, we have abolished $10 billion of medical debt since our inception in 2014 – and $1.5 Billion of that debt relief came directly from churches. It’s easy to understand why. Our work intersects with the Christian faith through the ideals of compassion, empathy, and forgiveness; no one deserves to be plagued by medical debt. This is why many of our most successful local debt relief campaigns are started by churches and people of faith just like you. No one should have to choose between paying their medical bills or paying their mortgage, pursuing an education, or even having a beautiful holiday with their children. How much more joyful is Christmas uninfected by medical debt?

Meet Mia from Dallas, TX

Amount abolished $1,187

“I opened this letter while working today and almost cried. This medical debt was the last one on my credit report, but I didn't know when I'd have money to pay it with ongoing medical and living expenses. What a blessing!”

We want to thank Christian Century for putting a spotlight on our mission and helping us connect with you. We would love to welcome you into our community and tackle the unjust issue of medical debt together, and we hope you will join us this year in providing immediate relief to families across the country. We would love to have the chance to tell you more about how you can become involved – whether through a debt relief campaign, donation, or simply passing this information along to your communities.

With peace and gratitude,

The RIP Medical Debt Team