No one should live in poverty because they got sick.
Medical debt often begins at the worst possible moment: an emergency, a sudden diagnosis, or a one-time hospital visit. In this moment, nearly half of Americans say they can’t afford the health care they need. More than half of cancer patients report going into debt to afford care. Medical debt does not end when someone leaves the hospital. It follows people into their homes, their credit scores, and is the number one cause of bankruptcy in Ohio. Debt forces people to decide between delaying care or going deeper into poverty. In Cleveland, one of the poorest large cities in America, medical debt is not just a health care issue. It is a barrier that keeps families from moving forward. This campaign is about removing that barrier.
We are working with the non-profit Undue Medical Debt to cancel medical debt for people in Cuyahoga County living in poverty. The organization negotiates with hospitals to buy medical debt for pennies on the dollar and then permanently cancels it. Our $10,000 campaign will cancel $1 million in medical debt for residents living in poverty.
Within roughly 2–4 weeks after reaching our goal, the debt will be canceled. Residents do not have to apply, sign up, answer calls, or complete any paperwork. They will simply receive a letter telling them their debt has been erased.
Somewhere in Cuyahoga County, a family is carrying a bill they believe will follow them for the rest of their lives. Your donation can be the reason it does not.
