Medical Debt Payoff

Because of the ongoing generosity of our church and congregation, we are overjoyed to announce that we are giving a Christmas gift to the people of Los Angeles. No strings attached.

Here’s the situation:

• Medical debt has destroyed the financial stability of large segments of America’s most vulnerable people: the sick, the elderly, the poor, and veterans.
• 60% of personal bankruptcies are due to medical bills, making it one of the leading causes of homelessness in the USA. 75% of all individuals in medical bankruptcy had health insurance coverage.
• When a person cannot pay their medical bills, it results in damage to their credit score. That then makes it harder to get an apartment, harder to get a job, harder to get a loan, and interest rates and fees on loans are much higher due to the credit damage.

Here’s what we have done:

• We mapped out 28 neighborhoods in Los Angeles, including the city of Los Angeles itself.
• We then worked with RIP Medical Debt – a nonprofit – and learned that there was over $5 million of outstanding medical debt owed by people in those neighborhoods earning less than 2 times the federal poverty level. We were able to purchase that debt and forgive it for just 1 penny on the dollar.
• So, because of the generosity of our church, our elders unanimously approved that we purchase ALL $5 million+ worth of the medical debt of the poor in ALL 28 neighborhoods and forgive all of it in Jesus’ name. No more harassment from debt collectors. No strings attached.

But there’s more:

• Each person will receive a letter letting them know their medical debt has been cleared by an act of generosity from Christian Assembly Church. Plus, RIP medical debt will then work with the credit unions to repair the credit damage from the medical debt thereby lifting the credit score of each person. As they recover from their illness, the improved score will make it easier for them to get a job, get an apartment, and help them get back on their feet. And avoid homelessness.
• This is an act of biblical justice and generosity on behalf of the poor done in Jesus’ name. People affected in the 28 neighborhoods are getting letters this week with the good news. This will impact over 5,000 households across the area!

So to the Christian Assembly family – Isn’t this crazy & delightful that we get to do this together because of your generosity?

To the greater Los Angeles community – Merry Christmas! No strings attached. Jesus loves you. And so do we.

*For those inquiring about having your medical debt paid off or you would like more information about the partnering organization, RIP Medical Debt, go to www.RIPmedicaldebt.org for details and how it all works.