Learn - RIP Medical Debt
We inform and deepen policy conversations about making our nation’s health care financing system more equitable and affordable.

What’s New

New research on the burden of medical debt from RIP and NTFP
Brief 1 Insurance Alone is Not Enough
Brief 2 Medical Debt, Money, and Mental Health

New Blog

The Impact of Medical Debt on Financial Wellness and Whole Health

RIP Medical Debt and our partner Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners continue to explore the results of our April 2023 beneficiary survey. Our first brief explained how increasing insurance coverage is not enough to solve the health care affordability crisis — having insurance is crucial in mitigating the harm of medical debt, but insurance itself remains unaffordable for many lower income people. Indeed, while almost all of our respondents reported being insured, 68% still carried medical debt.

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More than 100 million U.S. adults struggle with healthcare debt. There is more than $195 billion owed nationwide.

Medical debt is woven into our health care financing system and our economy. Our mission is to end medical debt. We have a unique model in that it combines the generosity of donors with debt industry expertise to produce a high volume of medical debt relief. The debt relief we provide reduces mental and financial distress for millions of people, removing a barrier to accessing the health care they need.

Nearly 1/2
of U.S. adults struggle to afford healthcare costs. For Black, Hispanic and low-income adults that figure jumps to at least six in ten.
3x
greater likelihood that individuals with debt also have a mental health problem such as anxiety, stress, or depression.

Policy Domains

1 —
Affordable and comprehensive coverage.
2 —
Easy access to and enrollment in financial assistance programs.
3 —
Banning extraordinary collection actions and monitoring medical debt.

Beneficiary Stories

Our policy priorities reflect the experiences of our constituents. We are committed to centering the voices and stories of our constituents’ priorities as we work to influence policy and systems changes that end medical debt. Read about the people RIP Medical Debt has helped through our donor-supported model.


Policy Resources