Church pays off $1.89 million in medical debt

Across 14 Maryland counties, some 900 families no longer have overdue medical bills thanks to an Annapolis church.

Late last month those households opened letters notifying them that their debt was paid.

Revolution Annapolis, a congregation that meets in Germantown Elementary School, worked with a non-profit to resolve $1,893,288.73 in medical bills.

“We knew it was a problem in the community,” head pastor Kenny Camacho said. “Then we heard about RIP Medical Debt on the John Oliver show. And we learned about a large church in Houston that made a large contribution last Easter.”

The church got in touch with RIP and asked it to look for debt in the Annapolis area.

But once parishioners started raising funds they learned that there was not enough of that kind of debt in close to home.

“So We asked RIP to look in an expanding, wider circle,” Camacho said.

“With the $15,000 we raised during the month of December RIP purchased debt for 900 families in 14 counties.

“Friends, families, some from other churches, even people not involved in area churches donated.”