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:
St. Elmo United Methodist Church — 47329
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and
the Prophets.
– Matthew 7:12 NIV
Imagine living in a community, where every person profoundly experiences the power of The Golden Rule…
And just imagine if you could activate this power to transform the quality of life for your neighbors and other hardworking families in our area who are currently struggling because of outstanding medical debt…
Great news! You can unleash the power of The Golden Rule in our community simply by making a tax-deductible donation of any amount to The Golden Rule campaign today!
Utilizing the expertise of RIP Medical Debt and your life-changing donation, we can erase the financial hardship that medical debt causes our neighbors and families in our very community. In doing so, we strengthen the fabric of our community and foster greater healing on so many levels because the power of The Golden Rule blesses and benefits both the receiver and the giver in equal measure!
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How RIP Medical Debt Works
RIP Medical Debt purchases bundles of delinquent medical debt from hospitals, healthcare providers, and collection agencies for pennies on the dollar! For example, for every $1 donated, approximately $100 in medical debt is abolished on average.
100% percent of every tax-deductible donation made to The Golden Rule campaign will go directly to abolishing medical debt in our area.
We specifically partnered with RIP Medical Debt because they have received a perfect score from Charity Navigator in terms of impact & results, accountability & finance, culture & community, and leadership & accountability. To date, they have relieved over $10.3 billion in medical debt in the US, helping over 7 million families in the process.
Once we’ve reached our goal, debt relief beneficiaries will receive a letter from RIP Medical Debt informing them that their debt has been bought and paid for- essentially erased with no strings attached and no income tax liability because it is a gift from a third-party benefactor. Plus, the debt is removed from their credit reports, helping them regain their financial footing, dignity, and peace of mind.
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The Golden Rule campaign specifically targets individuals and families who live in 24 counties located in eastern Tennessee, 1 neighboring county located in North Carolina, and 9 neighboring counties located in Georgia, who earn less than 4 times the poverty rate or whose debt is 5% or more of their income.
Not-so-fun facts about Medical Debt:
- Over 100 Million Americans struggle with medical debt.
- 41% of all Americans currently have medical debt despite the fact that over 90% had health insurance.
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The economic and social distress that medical debt causes individuals and families is immense. Even when you have health insurance, an unexpected trip to the emergency room, an extended hospital stay, or a life-saving medical procedure can cause debt to pile up quickly. The out-of-pocket expenses alone can become unmanageable even if you have insurance and a steady job.
Living under the burden of medical debt often leads to a vicious cycle of worse health outcomes and mounting expenses. Medical debt has been shown to directly lead to the adoption of dangerous behaviors, such as skipping a doctor’s visit when needed, attempting to self-diagnose and treat, or rationing prescription medication.
To make matters worse, unpaid medical expenses are now the largest source of debt in collections and, if left unpaid, can remain on credit reports for 7 years. As an act of desperation, some turn to payday loans, while many more turn to bankruptcy.
- The typical payday loan interest rate in Tennessee is 460%.
- On average, 1 in 4 payday loans is reborrowed NINE times before it is completely paid off.
- 2 out of 3 bankruptcies now cite medical debt as a leading cause.
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Bankruptcy also leads to unintended consequences as it lowers credit scores further than debt alone, significantly limits access to credit, raises future home and car loan rates, impacts the ability to gain employment and find affordable housing, and even elevates the risk of homelessness. Bankruptcy also carries a host of social stigmas long after the event itself.
That’s why the goal of this campaign is to raise at least $10,000 by the end of the year so that recipients can start the new year afresh – out from under the burden, stress, and shame medical debt can create.
We all share the sacred calling to care for our neighbors and share the grace of Christ. Thus, in making a donation of any size, we can embody and share His message of love and peace.
Feel free to make one or more donations – it can be anonymous, in recognition of someone who once helped you out of a tough spot, in honor of a caregiver, in memory of a loved one, or someone who has made a profound impact in your life or inspired you in your daily walk…
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Donate today and help us amplify the power of The Golden Rule to quickly reach our goal of
$10,000 so that we can relieve burdensome medical debt for our neighbors and others across our
area.
Together, we can profoundly change lives simply by following Christ’s teachings to “do unto
others.
To learn more about St. Elmo United Methodist Church located in Chattanooga, Tennessee visit www.saintelmo.org
Campaign Support Recipients
- Recent Donations
- Kathleen M. just donated $500
- Anonymous just donated $58.50
- Russell M. just donated $106
- John S. just donated $529
- Allon Planning Partners just donated $1,057
- Anonymous just donated $53.20
- Francina F. just donated $100
- Anonymous just donated $106
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:
St. Elmo United Methodist Church — 47329
- Recent Donations
- Kathleen M. just donated $500
- Anonymous just donated $58.50
- Russell M. just donated $106
- John S. just donated $529
- Allon Planning Partners just donated $1,057
- Anonymous just donated $53.20
- Francina F. just donated $100
- Anonymous just donated $106
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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