To donate to this campaign by mail, please send a check:
Payable To:
RIP Medical Debt
Address:
RIP Medical Debt
P. O. Box 411675
Boston, MA 02241-1675
Memo Line:
Kentucky Voices for Health — 47660
Abolish Kentucky’s Medical Debt
THE PROBLEM
Healthcare costs and health disparities are at an all-time high and continue to grow. No one chooses to get sick or hurt, and seeking care shouldn’t result in years of debilitating debt and low credit scores. Medical debt is the number one reason for personal bankruptcy, and Kentucky is 10th in the nation for individuals with a medical bill in collection.
More than half of Kentuckians experienced a financial healthcare burden before the pandemic, and 1 in 3 Kentuckians struggle to pay medical bills. Living expenses are higher than wages for more than half of all Kentucky households. When you’re living paycheck to paycheck, there’s no financial wiggle room for unexpected bills. Most Kentuckians are just one emergency away from a financial crisis, leading to a cycle of debt collection that can feel inescapable.
WHO WE ARE
Kentucky Voices for Health (KVH) is a nonpartisan coalition of consumer health advocates dedicated to addressing the root causes of poor health in the commonwealth through policy advocacy. We believe that every Kentuckian deserves access to high quality, affordable healthcare without barriers.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
KVH advocates for much-needed reform to empower consumers and curb spiraling healthcare costs, and while policy change is necessary to address the systemic issue of medical debt, we also recognize that for many Kentuckians, the need is immediate and urgent. That’s why we’re partnering with RIP Medical Debt to use your donations to forgive the available delinquent debt in Kentucky for pennies on the dollar.
One dollar eliminates more than $100 in medical debt, and our current goal of $11,000 will be used to eliminate more than $1.8 million in medical bills. Join us in erasing local medical debt in Kentucky, protecting the lives and livelihoods of some of Kentucky’s most vulnerable families, individuals, and communities.
Campaign Support Recipients
- Recent Donations
- Fred And Linda M. just donated $21.50
- Anonymous just donated $10.90
- Anonymous just donated $26.80
To donate to this campaign by mail, please send a check:
Payable To:
RIP Medical Debt
Address:
RIP Medical Debt
P. O. Box 411675
Boston, MA 02241-1675
Memo Line:
Kentucky Voices for Health — 47660
- Recent Donations
- Fred And Linda M. just donated $21.50
- Anonymous just donated $10.90
- Anonymous just donated $26.80
New research on the impacts of medical debt
A new survey published by PerryUndem in 2023 shows that medical debt is a shared experience for patients across the country.
Key Findings
Patients are making tradeoffs that affect their daily lives.
- Nearly 7 in 10 Nearly 7 in 10 U.S. adults say they receive medical bills they cannot afford. Many are forced to delay paying the bill, put it on a credit card, or challenge the bill.
- 6 in 10 Six in ten patients report they have self-treated, delayed, or skipped dental and medical appointments. Thirty-four percent report changing the foods they eat or eating less food to afford health care.
People and patients feel trapped in debt and see no way out. They see medical debt as different from other forms of debt - entirely the fault of institutions and systems, and not something consumers have any control over.
- Nearly 50% Nearly half feel trapped and believe they will never be able to pay off their debt, while a third of respondents reported feeling heightened depression and anxiety.
- Nearly 9 in 10 Nearly 9 in 10 blame the health care industry for fueling the medical debt crisis - not patients themselves. They say the problem stems from the system putting profit over patients.
Fundraise for This Campaign
Start a fundraiser to help those in need. Set a personal fundraising goal and track online donations easily with RIP.
How RIP Works
Over a hundred million Americans, one in three, struggles with the weight of medical debt.
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You make a donation
We use data analytics to pinpoint the debt of those most in need: households that earn less than 4x the federal poverty level (varies by state, family size) or whose debts are 5% or more of annual income.
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RIP buys medical debt at a steep discount
We buy debt in bundles, millions of dollars at a time at a fraction of the original cost. This means your donation relieves about 100x its value in medical debt.
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Together we wipe out medical debt
People across the country receive letters that their debt has been erased. They have no tax consequences or penalties to consider. Just like that, they’re free of medical debt.
Frequent Questions
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