Mission Yearbook: Pittsburgh Presbytery wipes out more than $14 million of medical debt for families

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.

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Photo by Patty Brito via Unsplash

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.

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The Rev. Jessica McClure Archer

“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.

Mission Yearbook: Indiana church abolishes over $1 million in medical debt for neighbors

Last fall, First Presbyterian Church of Columbus, Indiana, celebrated its 200th
anniversary (Photos by Rich Copley).

As part of its 200th anniversary celebration, First Presbyterian Church of Columbus, Indiana, has taken an extraordinary step to serve its neighbors.

With a $10,000 gift from a generous church family, the congregation partnered with Undue Medical Debt to purchase and abolish just over $1.78 million in medical debt for 1,488 individuals across south-central Indiana. 

The impact reaches deep into the community:

• Bartholomew County: $1.03 million relieved for 916 individuals
• Brown County: $237,000 relieved for 225 individuals
• Jackson County: $507,000 relieved for 347 individuals.

“This is about bringing hope and healing in a very practical way,” said the Rev. Dr. Felipe N. Martínez, pastor of First Presbyterian Church. “Our bicentennial is not only a time to look back with gratitude but also to look forward with compassion. We wanted to help ease a burden many families were carrying.”

The initiative was inspired by a family in the congregation who wished to remain anonymous. Other families in the church have added to that initial gift. Their donations were multiplied through Undue Medical Debt’s model, which converts every $1 contributed into an average of $100 in debt relief.

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The choir at First Presbyterian Church of Columbus, Indiana, sings during the church's 200th anniversary celebration last fall 

Medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States and often prevents families from seeking further care. Those who qualify for debt relief through Undue Medical Debt typically earn less than four times the federal poverty level or have debts that exceed 5% of their annual income.

Individuals whose debt is being abolished will soon receive letters directly from Undue Medical Debt. These letters are not a scam —they carry the good news that their debt has been fully eliminated and, importantly, that this debt will also be removed from their credit records. Recipients are strongly encouraged to open these letters when they arrive.

First Presbyterian Church has an additional $10,000 in donated funds reserved to abolish more debt when the next purchase becomes available, extending the impact of this future event further.

While this is not a fundraising campaign, church leaders hope their example will inspire other faith communities and nonprofit organizations to consider how they too might stand alongside families struggling with medical debt.

Since being founded in 2014 by two former debt collectors, Undue Medical Debt has acquired — and abolished — more than $20 billion of burdensome medical debt, helping over 7 million families and addressing a major social determinant of health. Undue partners with individuals, faith-based organizations and corporations and empowers donors by converting every dollar contributed into $100 of medical debt relief on average. Learn more here.

Founded in 1824, First Presbyterian Church of Columbus has served the community for two centuries through worship, outreach and social impact. The church continues to embody its mission by fostering compassion, justice and service in Columbus and beyond.

First Presbyterian Church of Columbus, Indiana (Click here to read original PNS Story)

Let us join in prayer for:

John Kim, Senior Translator, Global Language Resources, Administrative Services Group
Sam Young Kim, Stewardship Officer – Korean, Stewardship and Major Gift Officer, Administrative Services Group         

Let us pray:

Gracious God, help us to continually look for  you in all of Creation and help us always to be a blessing in your sight. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Mid-Kentucky Presbytery churches help Kentuckians eliminate more than $4.5 million in medical debt

Presbytery partners with RIP Medical Debt during a summertime donor campaign

October 22, 2023

Photo by Jonathan Sebastiao via Unsplash

Presbyterian church members became passionate about the plight of medical debtors who can’t afford their medical bills after learning about a debt relief effort offered by the nonprofit RIP Medical Debt organization. Through a donor campaign launched in their churches over the summer, together they raised enough money to abolish $4,577,749.43 of medical debt for thousands of Kentucky residents.

According to a report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, medical bills account for 69% of furnished collections (debt collectors who collect on behalf of original creditors for a fee), followed by telecommunications at 12.5% and utilities at 4.5%.

Recipients of medical debt relief will be notified with a RIP Medical Debt branded letter over the next week or two.

RIP acquires medical debts from hospitals and debt collectors on the secondary debt market. The nonprofit only purchases medical debts belonging to people who are four times or more below the federal poverty level or who have medical debt that is 5% or more of their gross annual income. Medical debt relief is source-driven, and therefore random, and cannot be requested. Thus, recipients are completely surprised when they learn their debt has been abolished.

“Not only are the debts abolished, RIP Medical Debt restores their credit scores,” said Daniel Lempert, speaking for RIP Medical Debt. “This allows them to move forward with their lives in many positive ways.”

Steve Makela, chair of the Mid-Kentucky Presbytery Board of Trustees, was inspired to initiate the program as he became more deeply aware of the great discrepancy in the billing practices of health care providers regarding those with good insurance versus those without that support. Most importantly, he said, “this effort further demonstrates our concern for the broader needs of all individuals throughout our communities, much like the installation of free car-charging stations in some of our church parking lots have done.”

The Rev. Dr. John L. Odom, general presbyter of Mid-Kentucky Presbytery, said, “The Presbyterians of central Kentucky want to bring financial wholeness because people shouldn’t be forced to choose between life and health and potential bankruptcy. We pray every week in the Lord’s Prayer for God ‘to forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors.’ Working to wipe away the medical debt of others is a sure way to put our prayers into action.”

Mid-Kentucky Presbytery, a regional governing body of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), is composed of 47 congregations in 29 counties in the center of the Commonwealth. To learn more, go here.

RIP Medical Debt is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2014 by two former debt collectors. To date RIP has acquired — and abolished — more than $9 billion of medical debt, helping more than 6 million families. RIP purchases debts for a fraction of their face value in bundled portfolios. Learn more here.

Mid-Kentucky Presbytery, Special to Presbyterian News Service

Today’s Focus: Mid-Kentucky Presbytery help Kentuckians eliminate medical debt

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Dayna Oliver, Mission Associate III, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Laura Olliges, Vice President, Finance & Accounting, Presbyterian Investment & Loan Program

Let us pray

Lord, thank you for allowing us to learn from such powerful people of God. Help us to grow in patience, hope, endurance and love. Continue to give us the strength we need to continue to love and grow in you. Amen.