RIP Medical Debt Archive

RIP Medical Debt and Communities Joined in Action to Relieve and Prevent Medical Debt

The deadline to submit an LOI has changed to June 8th, 2022.

Project Summary

RIP Medical Debt (RIPMD), a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit whose mission is to end medical debt, is partnering with Communities Joined in Action (CJA), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve health access and eliminate disparities in the communities of its members, in a collaboration that will focus on localized medical debt relief and policy work. The goals of this partnership are to empower CJA’s members with an understanding of RIP’s work and how medical debt impacts communities and to pilot collaborative partnerships in three communities where RIP and selected CJA members will learn from one another, push for imminent medical debt relief, and promote systemic change at the local level. Key actions will include:

  • Engaging local hospitals and health systems to participate directly in debt abolishment, and potentially other aspects of the project
  • Communicating the value and importance of addressing medical debt, with a focus on personal stories
  • Raising funds locally for medical debt relief
  • Influencing policy change to prevent medical debt from reoccurring
  • Evaluating the impact of medical debt relief on individuals, families, and communities

How to Apply

The funding opportunity is available to community collaboratives with hospital/health system partners that are committed to relieving medical debt. Interested community collaboratives will submit a letter of intent by June 1. LOIs will be submitted to communityimpact@ripmedicaldebt.org. Five communities will be selected to participate in additional virtual web-based discussions in July/August.  A review panel will select up to three communities to receive up to $200,000 over two years to conduct the pilot project.

Important documents:

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