This year, thousands of Allegheny County residents got letters telling them that the medical debt that has been hanging over their heads has been wiped out — paid for by contributions from the members of the 117 churches in Pittsburgh Presbytery.
Late last year, Presbyterian church members donated nearly $75,000 as part of a campaign with the national nonprofit group Undue Medical Debt — enough to eliminate more than $14 million in outstanding bills. The coalition exceeded its initial goal to raise $65,000.
Undue Medical Debt purchases medical debts belonging to those least able to pay from health care providers and other organizations for pennies on the dollar, meaning every dollar donated erases $100 or more of medical debt. But unlike commercial bill collectors, the group doesn’t badger people to pay off the debt themselves. Instead, it finds organizations and individuals who are willing to donate money to eliminate these debts. In Pennsylvania, nearly 1 in 15 adults carries medical debt. In Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh, the average person with medical debt in collections carries a balance of nearly $1,000.
The Pittsburgh Presbytery campaign was spearheaded by its Matthew 25 On The Move ministry team, a group that embraces Jesus’ commandment to provide care to the “least of these.” Part of the group’s mission is to address systemic poverty, a purpose which is served by this campaign. The Rev. Dr. Judith Slater, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Duquesne and a leader of the Matthew 25 group, said that the impact of the donations is tremendous.
“Undue tells us that people who have received this debt relief in the past often have trouble believing it is real, for it seems too good to be true,” Slater said. “But once they realize it is real, they often say that it feels like a huge weight has been lifted from them and they can move forward in their lives and have a chance for a new life.”
She added that “this was truly a mustard-seed endeavor,” referencing a biblical parable about a small seed providing abundant growth. “Individuals and churches gave what they could, from one dollar to thousands of dollars.” One congregation, at the former Concord Presbyterian Church, donated $20,000 from the proceeds of the recent sale of its building.
Members of Pittsburgh Presbytery churches were influenced to donate by video testimonies such as this one from local residents who were burdened with medical debt.
One church member recalled the time her daughter went through five hospital stays before she turned 5, because of ongoing problems with RSV infections. Even though the family had health insurance, she said, “our claims fell into insurance policy loopholes and exclusions … and our medical bills racked up.” Eventually, the family’s debts were sold to a collection agency, and “all of a sudden, the debt collector began sending scathing letters and calling multiple times a day. It made me feel less than human; it was one of the most stressful times of my life.”
“I cannot tell you the peace of mind it would have given me to receive a letter saying, ‘I’ve got you. Your debt is forgiven. Go focus on keeping your child comfortable.’”
“This initiative demonstrated the power and potential of our collective witness to walk alongside our community and care for our neighbors in meaningful, life-changing ways,” said the Rev. Jessica McClure Archer, general minister of Pittsburgh Presbytery. “When our churches come together, we are able to share God’s love far greater and wider than our own churches’ four walls. We embody what it means to be the Body of Christ — broken for the sake of grace, healing and justice — in a world that can often feel cruel and unforgiving.”
There is no application process for this medical debt relief, and it cannot be requested.
Medical debt affects at least 100 million people in the U.S., who collectively owe about $220 billion to hospitals, doctors and other organizations. Medical debt comprises a majority of all collections listed on personal credit reports and is the leading cause of bankruptcies in the U.S.
Pittsburgh Presbytery (Click here to read original PNS Story)
Let us join in prayer for:
Tim Stepp, Associate Director, Internal Audit, Administrative Services Group
Andrea Stevens, Gift Planning Specialist, Development Office, The Presbyterian Foundation
Let us pray:
Gracious God, give us humble hearts so that we can recognize the gifts of others and encourage the use of those gifts for the edification of your church. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, the one who teaches us your ways. Amen.
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