Medical Debt Relief Campaign
for our struggling neighbors in Kentucky
or scroll down to learn more.
Watch Our 3-Minute Introduction Video
I command you to be openhanded toward your neighbors who are poor and needy in your land.
– Deuteronomy 15:11
No voice is more important to God than the cry of the poor and needy, and God commands His people to be the openhanded answer.
In American society, one of the most significant sources of poverty’s cry is the crushing burden of medical debt. And the cry is not limited to the poor. Often, middle-class households are even more vulnerable, earning too much to qualify for assistance but not enough to absorb large, unexpected expenses. In this way, medical bills often become “gateway debt” for the middle class, as they turn to credit cards and other loans to make payments.
It is no surprise that medical debt is the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in America. Even those with health insurance are susceptible. In fact, nearly 80% of individuals who filed for medical bankruptcy had some form of health coverage at the time they sought care. Therefore, here is the tragic reality we are facing: surveys consistently show that lower- and middle-income Americans fear medical debt even more than medical illness.
Medical debt is a crisis in America. And especially in Kentucky.
Nationally, 13.9% of Americans have medical debt in collections, but in Kentucky, it is 18.1%. And in Appalachia, some estimates suggest that a staggering 1 in 3 residents are facing the hardship of medical debt collections.
Christ for Kentucky cannot ignore this crisis in our state. We have a dream, and we invite you to help make it a reality. What if the financially burdened fearing a collection notice were surprised by a different notice? The gospel means ‘good news’—so what if our state was flooded with gospel notices? What if thousands upon thousands of letters were delivered to our neighbors informing them of the good news that their medical debt is gone?
In partnership with the non-profit organization Undue Medical Debt, we are launching a statewide campaign to abolish the burden of medical debt that is crushing Kentucky. But it won’t be possible without the help of Kentucky Christians, churches, organizations—any who long to see the cry of the poor replaced by shouts of joy.
For an in-depth discussion of the campaign, please listen to this explainer episode on our podcast. However, here are answers to the most common questions:
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By utilizing the same strategy as debt collectors, only not to profit off the financially burdened but to relieve their burden. Often, medical providers will offload dormant debt by bundling and selling it to collection agencies for a fraction of the cost that is owed. On average, collectors can purchase $100 of medical debt for just $1. However, they will still attempt to collect the full amount even though it was purchased at a significantly reduced rate. This collection process can be detrimentally life altering, including negative marks on credit scores, wage garnishments, and even property liens.
But one should ask: If medical debt can be purchased so inexpensively, why not simply buy it—not to collect, but to cancel? Precisely! That is the simple market solution we are seeking to implement. We aim to purchase the medical debt of struggling Kentuckians for pennies on the dollar, and then…erase it.
However, that process is not as easy as it sounds, which is why we are relying on our partnership with Undue Medical Debt. They are experienced experts of this strategy with the ability to navigate the difficulties of debt negotiations, HIPAA laws, and other complexities within the process. If we can raise the necessary funds, Undue has agreed to focus their expertise toward a campaign that covers the entire state of Kentucky. If you have any questions for Undue Medical Debt, please feel free to contact Michelle Santoro, who is overseeing our campaign partnership, at michelle.santoro@unduemedicaldebt.org.
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Yes! Before launching this statewide campaign, we tested the strategy. In partnership with Undue, we were able to abolish $9,539,069 of medical debt for 13,386 Kentuckians at the cost of only $53,000. Here are some words of thanksgiving we received with names withheld:
“Thank you so much! Now, I’ll be able to get the money I need for my upcoming wedding to my soul mate.” - Neon, KY
"It was a nice surprise to receive your letter, not to mention a relief when bills are coming in and financially you just can't pay all of them. Forever grateful!" - Elkfork, KY
"I am so poor, my family struggles to eat. Your relief is greatly appreciated. Thank you!" - Pinsonfork, KY
"Thank God for good people. I had cancer and currently have a lot of hospital bills that I can't pay. Thanks for the help!" - Wheelwright, KY
"I didn't even know something like this even existed. I was shocked when I got your letter, but the debt relief was also a nice surprise. Almost like winning the lottery!" - Middlesboro, KY
"I was a single parent of two children trying to figure life out, and I had accumulated a lot of debt due to financial hardship. I have been trying for years to pay off some of my debt. I am extremely appreciative of this act of kindness toward this bill that I had made. Thank you so much!" - Hopkinsville, KY
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Because of the nature of medical debt, the exact number will be somewhat fluid, but our goal is to abolish roughly $150,000,000 of debt, benefiting around 75,000 individuals and families from every county in Kentucky. We can achieve this if we reach our goal of $1,250,000. And yes, those numbers are correct: $150 million of debt abolished for just $1.25 million!
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Again, this is not a crisis that only impacts lower-income Kentuckians. Middle-class individuals and families are a medical emergency away from life-altering financial hardship. And yet, it would not be good stewardship of participant’s generosity to abolish the debt of those with resources to pay. We believe Undue has a balanced threshold, which is 4x the Federal Poverty Guidelines. So, for example, the federal poverty line for an individual is $15,650. Multiply that number by four, and any individual Kentuckian with income less than $62,600 automatically qualifies for relief.
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The nature of this strategy does not allow us to handpick and relieve personal medical debt. Undue specializes in buying and eliminating entire portfolios of medical debt, benefiting thousands of people at once. Our arrangement with Undue gives us the ability to focus specifically on Kentucky debt but not on any specific Kentuckian.
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Yes. In partnership with National Christian Foundation Kentucky, we have established the “Christ for KY Debt Relief Giving Fund.” 100% of donations given to this fund will go toward medical debt relief in Kentucky. Donations to this fund are tax deductible, and can include non-cash gifts, such as stocks, business interests, and real estate.
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Yes. The entirety of the fund will be used for medical debt relief in Kentucky. Christ for Kentucky will not receive any portion of your donation, nor charge any administrative fee.
Let’s relieve some debt!
If you’re ready to give, click the button below to donate.
Want to give a check or stock?
Checks can be made out to “NCF KY” with “Fund #4938870” in the memo line and mailed to:
NCF KY
P.O. Box 175
Lexington, KY 40588
If you’d like to give stocks, please click here to download the NCF Stock & Mutual Fund Transfer Form PDF.
Are you a church looking to relieve the debt in your county?
If your church would like to be involved with the debt forgiveness in your county, please fill out the form below.