MUSKEGON, Mich. — Access Health, Inc. in Muskegon, along with RIP Medical Debt, has partnered up to erase over $25 million in medical debt for 40,000 in Muskegon County.
“National data also tells us that people are avoiding timely medical care because of these cost barriers," said Jeff Fortenbacher, President of Access Health. "Avoiding medical care can result in serious risk to a person’s health and well-being. This partnership with RIP aligns perfectly with the legacy work of Access Health – to give consumers relief from high costs and debt and to shine a light on this growing national issue here in our own community. We are grateful to have had this opportunity to work with RIP in Muskegon.”
RIP Medical Debt has done debt clearings, like the one in Muskegon County, in the past. The group uses donated funds to purchase debt from hospitals, physician groups and debt collection agencies.
Debts that qualified for their debt to be cleared had to earn up to four times the federal poverty level or below, or debt that is 5% or more of their gross annual income.