NBC 5 has partnered with the nonprofit organization RIP Medical Debt. to buy and forgive outstanding medical debt for approximately 2,000 North Texas families. The donation is part of a larger one made by NBC 5's parent company, NBC Universal.
The $150,000 donation will help relieve families across America of $15 million in medical debt, $2 million of which is in the North Texas area.
The debt was bought in a block and NBC 5 has no way of selecting or knowing whose debt was bought and forgiven.
Later this week, those whose debts were bought and forgiven will receive a letter in the mail from RIP Medical Debt notifying them their debt has been purchased and forgiven.
NBC 5's Samantha Chatman and Wayne Carter, with our Responds team, held a discussion on Facebook Live Thursday to answer questions about the Medical Debt Epidemic. That video can be seen at the top of the page.