Stacey Abrams group donates $1.34M to wipe out medical debts

ATLANTA – The governmental enactment led by Democratic titan Stacey Abrams is branching retired into paying disconnected aesculapian debts.

The Fair Fight Political Action Committee connected Wednesday told The Associated Press it has donated $1.34 cardinal from its governmental enactment committee to the nonprofit enactment RIP Medical Debt to hitch retired indebtedness with a look worth of $212 cardinal that is owed by 108,000 radical successful Georgia, Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Lauren Groh-Wargo CEO of allied radical Fair Fight Action and elder advisor to the PAC said paying disconnected aesculapian indebtedness is different facet of the group's advocacy seeking enlargement of Medicaid sum successful the 12 states that person refused to grow the wellness security to each poorer adults.

“What is truthful important astir this is the necktie betwixt Medicaid enlargement and conscionable crushing aesculapian debt,” Groh-Wargo said.

Of the states targeted, Arizona and Louisiana person expanded Medicaid.

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Fair Fight said letters volition beryllium sent to those whose debts person been absolved to notify them. The acquisition volition forgive the indebtedness of astir 69,000 radical successful Georgia, much than 27,000 radical successful Arizona, much than 8,000 radical successful Louisiana, and astir 2,000 radical apiece successful Mississippi and Alabama.

The radical has raised much than $100 cardinal since Abrams founded it aft her 2018 nonaccomplishment successful the Georgia governor's race. Fair Fight has been astir noted for its advocacy of voting rights, but has besides been pushing for broader wellness care. The radical launched ads past week demanding that Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp adhd Medicaid enlargement to the database of topics that Georgia lawmakers volition see successful a peculiar league starting adjacent week to redraw electoral districts. Democrats are hoping Abrams volition tally against Kemp again successful 2022. A constrictive nonaccomplishment to Kemp successful 2018 launched Abrams into governmental stardom.

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“I cognize firsthand however aesculapian costs and a breached healthcare strategy enactment families further and further successful debt," Abrams said successful a statement. “Across the sunbelt and successful the South, this occupation is exacerbated successful states similar Georgia wherever failed leaders person callously refused to grow Medicaid, adjacent during a pandemic.”

RIP Medical Debt said Fair Fight is giving the third-largest donation successful its history. Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott gave the radical $50 cardinal past year. The radical has aided much than 3 cardinal radical since it was founded successful 2014, typically buying bundles of aesculapian indebtedness astatine steep discounts from the look value. The bills often are purchased from postulation agencies that person been trying to get debtors to wage for years. The radical has wiped retired indebtedness with a look worth of much than $5.3 billion.

Allison Sesso, enforcement manager of RIP Medical Debt, said specified liabilities often thrust radical into bankruptcy, tin deter radical from seeking needed aesculapian care, and tin pb to wages being garnished oregon liens filed connected property.

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“I wouldn’t underestimate the intelligence anguish that radical person from aesculapian debt,” Sesso said.

Sesso said her radical is not conscionable pursuing indebtedness abolishment “but reasoning astir however we tin amended the strategy nationwide,” trying to advocator that hospitals should bash much to marque foundation attraction available. She besides said probe shows states that expanded Medicaid person little rates of aesculapian debt.

“We are not the imperishable solution," Sesso said. "There does request to beryllium a larger solution astir what we bash astir aesculapian debt.”

Groh-Wargo said the wealth was fixed by donors for governmental action, but said the wealth represents “only a tiny percentage” of what Fair Fight has raised.

“I deliberation of this arsenic politically tithing to assistance the assemblage we are advocating for and with,” Groh-Wargo said, saying the radical has done smaller standard charitable efforts.

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A erstwhile mentation of this study incorrectly stated the donation was coming from Fair Fight Action. The donation is coming from Fair Fight Political Action Committee.

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