Many American veterans are drowning in medical debt. Veterans most affected are those who must use other medical services, particularly those who aren’t near Veterans Administration hospital or services.
And that’s why the RIP Medical Debt came into being. It accepts private donations, including contributions from veterans, who are debt free.
As could be expected when a debt isn’t paid, bill collectors employed by the federal government eventually enter the picture. They’ve increased their activities while at the same time offering assistance in paying medical bills. Provided you’re a hardship case.
Craig Antico, chief executive officer of RIP, said with over two million visits per month by veterans to non-VA doctors, clinics, or hospitals, it isn’t hard to find why there is a likelihood that bills will escape notice.
To realize the plight faced by veterans, he points to a Consumer Finance Protection Bureau paper (CFPB) that has a snapshot of complaints received from veterans, their families, and service members. Of all the complaints received over two years, 39% or 11,600 grievances concerned bill collectors. The inclusion of medical debt means this problem must be put to rest.
RIP supporter Vishal Garg and his company, The Number, support the initiative by donating vital underwriting information to improve connections between donors who wish to assist veterans.
Verifying real veterans from fraudsters has fallen to I.D.me that’ll supply military data securely and privately. That organization started by helping military personnel form a trustworthy online community which included non-profits, and government agencies such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce ‘Hiring Our Heroes’ initiative and the Department of Veterans Affairs, The Huffington Post reported.
Contributions by veterans now have the collaboration of industry specialists employed by firms like Global Debt Registry, I.D. me., ARxChange, and MIT and the University of California/Berkeley which are cooperating to complete an economic impact study of the effects of removing medical debt.