Stories Archive — Undue Medical Debt

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100,000,000+ adults nationwide are struggling with medical debt It weighs people down — and even makes them sick.

Positive Results

  • Provide social, emotional and physical relief.
  • Repair credit scores and improve economic security, allowing people to financially rebuild their lives.
  • Alleviate the need for financial sacrifices.

Storytelling gives debt relief recipients an opportunity to reflect on how medical debt has affected their lives—and that it’s the fault of the system, not an individual.

Policy Prioritization

These perspectives inform our policy priorities and the structural changes for which we advocate.

Testimonials illuminate the value of our work, center it on the people most impacted by medical debt and keep us accountable to them.


  • John Cook

    John Cook has lived in Chicago all his life. He is 65 years old and transitioning into “semi-retirement.” He previously worked in sales and marketing and served as Deacon of a Catholic church for 17 years. Today, he’s…

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  • Amber

    Amber is a recipient of our debt relief program living in Toledo, Ohio. The debt relief provided to her was made possible through funding from the City of Toledo, one of numerous debt relief partnerships we are leading…

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  • John V.

    “Since I turned 26, I’ve been without health insurance and accruing a lot of medical debt. I’m a stay-at-home dad and only work a couple part-time jobs. I have a lovely family of four; my wife, our 9-year-old…

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  • Alex

    “After receiving the letter and finding out my debt was abolished; it was such a sigh of relief. The weight on my shoulders just lifted off. It felt like it was an opportunity to move forward.”

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  • Laura & Ben

    Laura is Ben’s mom. Ben’s heart transplant, his startling cancer diagnosis, and the follow-up care he requires has left their family with an enormous amount of debt. Despite the challenges they have faced they remain optimistic because their…

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  • Sheila

    Sheila happened to receive her Abolishment Letter on her birthday! The medical debt we were able to relieve goes back to a time in Sheila’s life when she felt vulnerable and unwell. She was back and forth between…

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  • Brandon & Felix

    After being priced out of Lynwood a city of Seattle where Brandon spent the majority of his life, he moved to Ellensburg, WA with his son, Felix. There the cost of living is more affordable and in the…

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  • Betty

    Betty Holland has lived in Georgia all her life. She incurred the debt that we abolished in 2017, when she was back and forth between working in a plant making gas tanks for cars and seeing her heart…

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  • Rochelle

    Rochelle is a single parent that has done everything possible stay out of debt. She doesn’t have a credit card has has never taken out a loan. However, one day she had to make the hard choice between…

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  • Christopher

    According to a recent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) report, four in ten Americans say they are more afraid of medical debt than of serious illness. Through the first-hand accounts from beneficiaries, we continue to see how medical…

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  • Kay

    “Firstly, I felt a sense of relief. I’m happy to have one less burden to worry about and to put an end to the collection calls and this debt showing up on my credit. I had gone in…

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  • Pura

    Pura, 49, is uninsured and lives in North Carolina where Medicaid has not yet been expanded. She has a large amount of medical debt, and shared that her income is limited because she is her husband’s primary caretaker.

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