About Us
Affiliated with RIP Medical Debt- an NYS Chartered 501(c)(3) nonprofit- the mission of our club is to end medical debt in North Carolina, spread awareness of the effects of medical debt, and create community outreach programs that engage Duke students with local community members and medical policy leaders. RIP Medical Debt, the nonprofit, empowers donors to forgive billions in oppressive medical debt; every dollar donated forgives one hundred dollars of medical debt. RIP uses precise data analytics to pinpoint the medical debt portfolios of those most in need of reliefÔÇöhouseholds that are: below 4x the federal poverty level or have debts that are 5 percent or more of their annual income. Using funds from local charity campaigns, RIP purchases these oppressive debts at significantly reduced rates. Once RIP Medical buys the debt, RIP eliminates it rather than collecting on it; no strings attached. After abolishing a debt, RIP sends out notices to the benefiting families and helps these recipients repair their credit reports, renewing their access to opportunities and resources that will allow them to rebuild. As a result, the top priorities of our club will be to: 1. Run an annual charity campaign through RIP Medical Debt that will target debt relief in North Carolina 2. Spread awareness of how unpaid medical bills affect the emotional, mental, and economic well-being 3. Educate and spread awareness of how the financial healthcare system works in the United States 4. Engage with the local Durham community leaders and residents to help support access to financial assistance programs through RIP Medical Debt resources While many Duke students are interested in pursuing a career in healthcare either as a clinician or a policy member, awareness of the pervasive issue of medical debt is seldom discussed or taught. As such, RipMD would have an important role in educating the Duke student body about medical debt, as well as giving Duke students the opportunity to give back to the Durham community. The debt relief we will provide would reduce mental and financial distress for potentially thousands of North Carolina residents. Medical debt is pervasive, burdening millions of people nationwide. The emotional weight and toxicity of unpaid medical bills affect peopleÔÇÖs mental health and economic well-being. Studies show that people forgo or delay care due to fear of medical bills. Despite the widespread prevalence of medical debt, it does not affect people equally, specifically, medical debt disproportionately affects minority and disadvantaged households. As such the pervasiveness of medical debts is not only an accessibility issue, but also a racial justice issue. Medical debt shifts the trajectory of peopleÔÇÖs lives, and RIP Medical Debt Duke will be committed to relieving debt now and also addressing the root causes of medical debt, mitigating its lasting harm. Through our work, we aim to spur change by elevating the experiences of people saddled with medical debt and engaging in conversations about how to make our nationÔÇÖs healthcare financing system more equitable and affordable.
