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Churches wipe out millions in medical debt for others [View all]
From the article:
Churches in Maryland, Illinois, Virginia, Texas and elsewhere have been reaching the same conclusion. RIP Medical Debt, a nonprofit organization based in Rye, N.Y., that arranges such debt payoffs, reports a recent surge in participation from primarily Christian places of worship. Eighteen have worked with RIP in the past year and a half, said Scott Patton, the nonprofits director of development. More churches are joining in as word spreads.
The mountain of bills they are trying to clear is high. Medical debt contributes to two-thirds of bankruptcies, according to the American Journal of Public Health. And a 2018 Kaiser Family Foundation/New York Times poll showed that of the 26% of people who reported problems paying medical bills, 59% reported a major life impact, such as taking an extra job, cutting other household spending or using up savings. (Kaiser Health News is an editorially independent program of the foundation.)
The mountain of bills they are trying to clear is high. Medical debt contributes to two-thirds of bankruptcies, according to the American Journal of Public Health. And a 2018 Kaiser Family Foundation/New York Times poll showed that of the 26% of people who reported problems paying medical bills, 59% reported a major life impact, such as taking an extra job, cutting other household spending or using up savings. (Kaiser Health News is an editorially independent program of the foundation.)
To read more:
https://religionnews.com/2019/06/05/churches-wipe-out-millions-in-medical-debt-for-others/
44 replies
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This is exactly what churches should be doing. Televangelists should follow their lead.
LonePirate
Jun 2019
#1
Yes, this is the right thing for churches to do and is in keeping with the basic message
The Velveteen Ocelot
Jun 2019
#3
Great, but are they doing this because of their religion, or because they are good people?
trotsky
Jun 2019
#8
"human behavior" works both ways except those who are ate up with the doublethink
Major Nikon
Jun 2019
#10
Does it really count when "churches" are also responsible for creating the debt?
Lordquinton
Jun 2019
#16
10 of the 11 regional hospitals in the greater Seattle area are church run.
AtheistCrusader
Jun 2019
#28
We are to believe one isolated case of charity somehow offsets the damage...
Act_of_Reparation
Jun 2019
#24
They are constrained from offering services, or diagnoses that run counter to Catholic medical
AtheistCrusader
Jun 2019
#30