Students in Action - RIP Medical Debt
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Campaign Created ByRIP Medical Debt Students in Action Program

Medical costs have doubled in the past forty years, insurance copays and deductibles have spiked, and bankruptcy rates have quadrupled, creating an avalanche of destructive medical debt. More than 60% of bankruptcies in America have medical debt as a root cause.

Take the first step towards addressing this mounting crisis by joining The Students in Action Campaign!

The Students in Action Campaign aims to bring together students from across the country to tackle one of America’s longest-standing social issues.

Fun fact: Did you know that since 2018, students have raised over $80,000 and abolished over $20 million of medical debt, helping approximately 20,000 families across the country?

When you create a fundraiser for this campaign, you become part of a dynamic peer network of students who share the goal of living in a world without medical debt. This campaign offers students the unique opportunity to build a community with like-minded individuals while abolishing medical debt at the same time!

You should join this campaign if you are:

  • a current middle school, high school, or college student 
  • passionate about addressing the harmful impacts of medical debt in this country  
  • excited to collaborate with other committed students to make a direct impact on the lives of thousands of individuals  

The perks of being a campaigner?

  • You will be mentored by students who have run successful campaigns with RIP (through monthly group meetings)
  • You will get access to unique educational sessions on issues about medical debt and its impact on communities
  • You will be part of a growing community of like-minded students dedicated to eradicating medical debt
  • You will have the ability to connect with key members of the RIP Medical Debt staff 

Are you interested in getting involved?

Reach out to RIP Medical Debt’s Development Coordinator, Sofia Del Valle, at [email protected], and she will help you get started!

Important Note: While the Students in Action Campaign is national in scope, students who are interested in abolishing debt locally are also eligible to take part in the program and gain access to mentorship/educational opportunities. All participating students (whether fundraising for national debt relief or for relief in their local communities) will have their donations count towards the Students in Action fundraising goal!

Meet some of our amazing student fundraisers and mentors!


Campaign Support Recipients
Nationwide
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$73,289.84
raised of $100,000 goal
73%
Donate by Check
  • Recent Donations
  • Donor Avatar
    Link To Giving Foundation just donated $265
  • Donor Avatar
    Brenda N. just donated $10.90
  • Donor Avatar
    Link To Giving Foundation just donated $212
  • Donor Avatar
    Anonymous just donated $26.80
  • Donor Avatar
    Anonymous just donated $318
  • Donor Avatar
    Anonymous just donated $318
  • Donor Avatar
    Anonymous just donated $26.80
  • Donor Avatar
    Emily S. just donated $10.90

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.
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  1. 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.
  2. 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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

Yes. We are a 501(c)(3) charity and your donation is 100% tax deductible.


Relevant Documents:

When we purchase a portfolio of medical debt, we abolish debt for individuals who:

  • Earn less than 4x the federal poverty level (varies by state, family size).
  • Debts are 5 percent or more of annual income.

We only buy debt that has been pre-qualified by our partners to meet at least one of these criteria. 

We never collect on debt we purchase, only relieve it.

No. With your help, we abolish medical debt permanently. Recipients have no adverse tax consequences, obligations, or strings attached.

For those whose medical debts are relieved, the relief is a gift from a detached and disinterested third party (RIP) as an act of generosity, so relief of the debt does not count as income to the debtor. We will not file a Form 1099-C with the IRS.

Due to HIPAA laws, RIP Medical Debt cannot disclose the names, contact information or any other specific details of the debt relief beneficiaries.

RIP Medical Debt cannot relieve debt by individual request.

While we would love to help everyone who needs assistance, RIP Medical Debt cannot abolish medical debt for specific individuals. We approach the problem of medical debt by acquiring large portfolios of debt to help thousands of people at once.

Because medical debt affects so many people who may not have debt accounts in the portfolios we purchase, we have compiled a list of resources that may be able to help in ways RIP Medical Debt cannot.

Ready to Launch Your Own Debt Relief Campaign?