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guillaumeb

(42,649 posts)
Thu Jun 6, 2019, 06:09 PM Jun 2019

Churches wipe out millions in medical debt for others

From the article:

Churches in Maryland, Illinois, Virginia, Texas and elsewhere have been reaching the same conclusion. RIP Medical Debt, a nonprofit organization based in Rye, N.Y., that arranges such debt payoffs, reports a recent surge in participation from primarily Christian places of worship. Eighteen have worked with RIP in the past year and a half, said Scott Patton, the nonprofit’s director of development. More churches are joining in as word spreads.
The mountain of bills they are trying to clear is high. Medical debt contributes to two-thirds of bankruptcies, according to the American Journal of Public Health. And a 2018 Kaiser Family Foundation/New York Times poll showed that of the 26% of people who reported problems paying medical bills, 59% reported a major life impact, such as taking an extra job, cutting other household spending or using up savings. (Kaiser Health News is an editorially independent program of the foundation.)


To read more:

https://religionnews.com/2019/06/05/churches-wipe-out-millions-in-medical-debt-for-others/
44 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Churches wipe out millions in medical debt for others (Original Post) guillaumeb Jun 2019 OP
This is exactly what churches should be doing. Televangelists should follow their lead. LonePirate Jun 2019 #1
I agree. guillaumeb Jun 2019 #2
Yes, this is the right thing for churches to do and is in keeping with the basic message The Velveteen Ocelot Jun 2019 #3
Sadly, this seems correct. guillaumeb Jun 2019 #5
but, but, but CDerekGo Jun 2019 #7
churches should be taxed like every other business nt msongs Jun 2019 #4
Maybe with deductions for aid to the poor. The Velveteen Ocelot Jun 2019 #6
Great, but are they doing this because of their religion, or because they are good people? trotsky Jun 2019 #8
"human behavior" works both ways except those who are ate up with the doublethink Major Nikon Jun 2019 #10
Both. eom guillaumeb Jun 2019 #13
And when they do bad things because of their religion? trotsky Jun 2019 #20
People do good things and bad thing because guillaumeb Jun 2019 #25
Thank you for confirming your double standard. n/t trotsky Jun 2019 #37
Interesting display of textual analysis. guillaumeb Jun 2019 #41
It is clear from your answers. trotsky Jun 2019 #42
And it is clear from your answers that my statement is correct. guillaumeb Jun 2019 #43
What statement is correct? trotsky Jun 2019 #44
As expected the answer to your question is doublethink Major Nikon Jun 2019 #27
Naturally. trotsky Jun 2019 #38
Consistently inconsistent Major Nikon Jun 2019 #40
Charity or cynical recruiting tactic? Act_of_Reparation Jun 2019 #9
Laughable logic. guillaumeb Jun 2019 #14
How can you tell? Act_of_Reparation Jun 2019 #21
That's good of them to do. MineralMan Jun 2019 #11
It does not solve the real issue. guillaumeb Jun 2019 #12
Exactly... MineralMan Jun 2019 #15
Does it really count when "churches" are also responsible for creating the debt? Lordquinton Jun 2019 #16
The US healthcare system is profit centered. guillaumeb Jun 2019 #17
So churches that enter into it are just there to make a profit? Lordquinton Jun 2019 #18
I think that most of the church run hospitals are non-profit. guillaumeb Jun 2019 #19
You're confusing non-profit with not-for-profit Lordquinton Jun 2019 #22
10 of the 11 regional hospitals in the greater Seattle area are church run. AtheistCrusader Jun 2019 #28
You said: guillaumeb Jun 2019 #29
You said AtheistCrusader Jun 2019 #32
Yes, I did say that. guillaumeb Jun 2019 #34
You misunderstand AtheistCrusader Jun 2019 #36
Churches spread anti-medical, anti-science ideas constantly Bretton Garcia Jun 2019 #23
We are to believe one isolated case of charity somehow offsets the damage... Act_of_Reparation Jun 2019 #24
And do the doctors at the church owned hospitals guillaumeb Jun 2019 #26
They are constrained from offering services, or diagnoses that run counter to Catholic medical AtheistCrusader Jun 2019 #30
Which is not the same thing as the other poster asserted. eom guillaumeb Jun 2019 #31
Read harder. AtheistCrusader Jun 2019 #33
Missing the point. eom guillaumeb Jun 2019 #35
Yes, you are. eom MineralMan Jun 2019 #39

The Velveteen Ocelot

(120,154 posts)
3. Yes, this is the right thing for churches to do and is in keeping with the basic message
Thu Jun 6, 2019, 06:23 PM
Jun 2019

of Christianity. But the televangelists are in it to enrich themselves, not help the poor.

trotsky

(49,533 posts)
8. Great, but are they doing this because of their religion, or because they are good people?
Fri Jun 7, 2019, 07:31 AM
Jun 2019

What do you think, guillaumeb?

Major Nikon

(36,899 posts)
10. "human behavior" works both ways except those who are ate up with the doublethink
Fri Jun 7, 2019, 07:52 AM
Jun 2019

Then again, it could just be that priests raping children need another "counterpoint".

guillaumeb

(42,649 posts)
41. Interesting display of textual analysis.
Tue Jun 11, 2019, 04:09 PM
Jun 2019

And that explains much of your Biblical analysis as well.

trotsky

(49,533 posts)
42. It is clear from your answers.
Tue Jun 11, 2019, 04:40 PM
Jun 2019

You think religion can motivate people to do good things, but never motivate them to do bad things.

If that is an erroneous summation of your beliefs, please correct me.

trotsky

(49,533 posts)
44. What statement is correct?
Wed Jun 12, 2019, 08:49 AM
Jun 2019

I'm asking you point blank if you think religion can ONLY motivate people to do good things.

Since you won't answer, I can only assume you hold the double standard position.

Major Nikon

(36,899 posts)
27. As expected the answer to your question is doublethink
Tue Jun 11, 2019, 10:57 AM
Jun 2019

A religionist does something good. Thanks religion!

A religionist does something bad. Human nature!

Act_of_Reparation

(9,116 posts)
9. Charity or cynical recruiting tactic?
Fri Jun 7, 2019, 07:40 AM
Jun 2019

Guess we'll never know. At least with the areligious, one knows where we stand.

MineralMan

(147,334 posts)
11. That's good of them to do.
Fri Jun 7, 2019, 08:31 AM
Jun 2019

However, they are buying the very least expensive debts, the ones that are all but written off. The people who had that debt were never going to pay, so the cost of buying that debt is a tiny percentage of the debt itself.

Still, it's a nice gesture on the parts of those churches. But, it's important to note that such buyouts do nothing to help people in earlier stages of dealing with medical debt. It only relieves people who could never possibly their debts. They're buying debt that even the sleaziest collection agencies don't want to bother with, due to the impossibility of collecting on them.

Lordquinton

(7,886 posts)
16. Does it really count when "churches" are also responsible for creating the debt?
Fri Jun 7, 2019, 07:38 PM
Jun 2019

It's great to see people doing this sort of thing, but it's a band-aid on a broken limb. "Churches" again do far more harm than good in this area, giving them cover with these types of stories doesn't help the situation.

Lordquinton

(7,886 posts)
18. So churches that enter into it are just there to make a profit?
Sat Jun 8, 2019, 07:21 PM
Jun 2019

They also enforce their beliefs on people they give treatment too, usually in the case of women's health care. Is that a systemic issue or a theological one?

guillaumeb

(42,649 posts)
19. I think that most of the church run hospitals are non-profit.
Sat Jun 8, 2019, 08:15 PM
Jun 2019

But the problem with the US healthcare system is one of access and cost.

Lordquinton

(7,886 posts)
22. You're confusing non-profit with not-for-profit
Mon Jun 10, 2019, 11:13 PM
Jun 2019

Are the religious hospitals doing anything to address the problem with access and cost? Or are they just going with it, while also using it to enforce their beliefs on a captive audience?

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)
28. 10 of the 11 regional hospitals in the greater Seattle area are church run.
Tue Jun 11, 2019, 11:34 AM
Jun 2019

You're confusing non-profit for 'end-run around Roe Vs Wade' as these hospitals have had to cease or outsource abortion, physician assisted suicide, tubal ligation, and other family planning to conform to Catholic medical ethics as they are wholly taken over, jointly operated, or joint billing.

You really don't know what you're talking about here. The RCC takeover has not made medical care cheaper. That's not why they are doing it.


https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/ties-between-uw-peacehealth-worry-medical-trainees-grad-students/

Overlake is the last hospital standing, free and unfettered by the Religious and Ethical Directives for Catholic Health Care (ERDs).

guillaumeb

(42,649 posts)
29. You said:
Tue Jun 11, 2019, 11:38 AM
Jun 2019
You really don't know what you're talking about here. The RCC takeover has not made medical care cheaper. That's not why they are doing it.


If anyone her had previously made that point, I would agree with you.

But no one did.

Buying up debt is not making medical care cheaper. It is removing a debt from someone. As my earlier responses should indicate, the two things are separate issues.

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)
32. You said
Tue Jun 11, 2019, 11:51 AM
Jun 2019

"But the problem with the US healthcare system is one of access and cost."

Access is part and parcel of RCC terminating reproductive care for religious reasons.
Which they are doing. Right now.

guillaumeb

(42,649 posts)
34. Yes, I did say that.
Tue Jun 11, 2019, 12:01 PM
Jun 2019

But I never said what you claimed that I said.

And that was my issue with your assertion.

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)
36. You misunderstand
Tue Jun 11, 2019, 01:21 PM
Jun 2019

"But the problem with the US healthcare system is one of access and cost."

I'm not saying you said anything. I'm addressing this claim, which is harmed by catholic involvement (access) and neutral (cost).

Bretton Garcia

(970 posts)
23. Churches spread anti-medical, anti-science ideas constantly
Tue Jun 11, 2019, 12:02 AM
Jun 2019

Giving some money to hospitals helps. But? It may be that giving a million times more, would still not make up for the damage done by their disinformation/faith healing campaigns, etc..

Act_of_Reparation

(9,116 posts)
24. We are to believe one isolated case of charity somehow offsets the damage...
Tue Jun 11, 2019, 07:26 AM
Jun 2019

...done by religious organizations that have for centuries prioritized their station above public health.

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)
30. They are constrained from offering services, or diagnoses that run counter to Catholic medical
Tue Jun 11, 2019, 11:40 AM
Jun 2019

ethics rules.

That means, no tubal ligation. No abortion. Etc.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/10/health/catholic-hospitals-procedures.html

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