Pay It Forward Campaign

Change $10 into $1,000 of medical debt

In my life I have been blessed with the opportunity to have good health insurance for my family. With cancer having appeared three times in my family, the lack of health care insurance would have put us in the “Poor House.” Therefore, I would like to start this campaign as a form of “Paying it Forward” for those that weren’t as fortunate as I have been.

Medical debt is everywhere… with 89% of people surveyed agreeing that “lots of people have medical debt currently.” This reality is even harsher for those diagnosed with cancer, who often face ongoing treatments with hefty price tags. More than six in 10 U.S. adults say they wouldn’t be able to afford cancer treatment if they were diagnosed tomorrow.

Cancer patients continue to suffer from a significant financial toll. The high cost of cancer care often persists not just for months, but for years, leading to substantial medical debt, said Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). No one fighting cancer should be forced to choose between essential treatments and basic daily necessities. Unfortunately, this is the harsh reality for many individuals diagnosed with cancer. Federal and state lawmakers are urged to address this issue by focusing on policies that reduce the financial strain of healthcare and make medical debt less common.

U.S. adults view medical debt as different from other types of debt, often seeing it as something beyond patients’ control. In fact, over 8 in 10 believe that the structure of the healthcare system contributes to the medical debt crisis. Many agree that high costs can lead to debt burdens, impacting those already facing significant health challenges.

So here’s a chance to perform some “medical magic” by turning a single dollar bill into one hundred dollars!