Undue Medical Debt (formerly RIP Medical Debt) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose purpose is to strengthen communities by erasing financially burdensome medical debt. Founded in 2014 by former debt collection executives, Undue Medical Debt is one of the leading charitable organizations that help pay medical bills. We work tirelessly to end medical debt and ensure a future where everyone can access healthcare without fear.
Medical debt is a uniquely American injustice
It prevents millions from achieving financial stability and subjects them to emotional anguish. Our mission is to end medical debt and be…
A source of justice in an unjust healthcare finance system
Powered by donors, we buy and erase the medical debts of everyday people — freeing them from the undue burden of medical bills they can’t afford.
A unique solution for patient-centered healthcare providers and policy makers
Erasing medical debt is an intervention, not a solution. We also advocate for structural changes to the broken U.S. healthcare financing system.
A moral force for systemic change
We’re changing the way people think about medical debt by sharing stories that reveal it is a failure of policies and systems, not people.
Undue’s Timeline
As a young nonprofit, it’s amazing how much has been achieved to date. The below is a non-exhaustive timeline of Undue Medical Debt’s (also known as RIP Medical Debt) accomplishments and milestones.
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2014
Undue is founded by former debt collections executives with decades of experience
2016
John Oliver partners with Undue to erase $15 million of medical debt on Last Week Tonight
2018
Undue partners with NBC/Telemundo TV stations to relieve $15 million of medical debt
2019
$ 1 billion
in debt abolished
2020
Undue’s “COVID Heroes Fund” relieves debts of frontline workers
Department of Health & Human Services approves Undue to acquire medical debt directly from hospitals/physicians
2021
Undue announces first provider/hospital partnership with Ballad Health
$5 billion
in debt abolished
2022
Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott gifts Undue 2nd donation, $30 million
$115 million
of veteran debt abolished since inception
2023
White House approves local governments partnering with Undue for debt relief programs
$10 billion
in debt abolished
Cook County partners with Undue to erase over $280 million in the Chicago area
Transparency & Accountability
We know it’s important that your donation is being used effectively and responsibly. We constantly strive to be transparent and accountable in everything we do
