A cancer patient from New York City who passed away on Sunday has generated adequate funds to settle millions of dollars in medical debt by making a posthumous appeal for assistance.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Casey McIntyre conveyed to her followers through social media messages. Her husband posted that he had arranged to eliminate the medical debt of others as a way to commemorate her life.
McIntyre wrote on xFormerly known as Twitter, “If you’re reading this I’m dead.”
“I cherished each of you with all my heart and I pledge to you, I understood how deeply I was loved,” the 38-year-old expressed. The post contained a link to a fundraising campaign initiated through the nonprofit RIP Medical Debt.
Andrew Rose Gregory, McIntyre’s husband, shared messages on Tuesday, and the campaign swiftly exceeded its $20,000 target. As of Friday afternoon, it had amassed about $140,000, adequate to eliminate approximately $14 million in medical debts.
Gregory mentioned that his wife had excellent health insurance and received top-notch care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Nevertheless, they encountered some “outrageous” expenses on the documents for her treatment, he revealed.
“What’s remarkable to both Casey and me is that, you know, there are effective cancer treatments accessible which some people cannot afford,” he remarked. “Instead of merely envisioning a cure for cancer, what if we could aid those encumbered by medical debt?”
Patients within the American healthcare system can swiftly accumulate significant bills that plunge them into debt, even with insurance coverage. This is particularly true for individuals requiring hospitalization or those in need of standard care or prescriptions for chronic health conditions.
An analysis of government data in 2022 by the nonprofit KFF estimates that nearly 1 out of 10 American adults are indebted by at least $250 in medical expenses. This equates to approximately 23 million individuals, including 11 million who owe more than $2,000.
RIP Medical Debt alleviates debt procured from hospitals, other healthcare providers, and the secondary debt market. It acquires numerous debt bundles, trading them at a fraction of their original worth.
The organization states that every contributed dollar absolves roughly $100 in debt, and its primary focus is on aiding low-income individuals. Spokesperson Daniel Lempert affirmed that there are no specific campaigns the organization plans to initiate subsequent to someone’s passing.
McIntyre, a book publisher, commenced treatment for ovarian cancer in 2019. Her husband remarked that she spent nearly three months in the hospital last year.
The Brooklyn couple started planning her memorial and debt-clearing campaign after he narrowly escaped death in May. They were motivated by a video depicting North Carolina church members eradicating nearly $3 million in medical debt.
McIntyre spent her final five months in home hospice care, affording her what Gregory refers to as an “additional summer.” She undertook excursions to the beach and spent time with her family, including the couple’s 18-month-old daughter, Grace.
“Casey was extremely unwell towards the end of her life, and she was unable to accomplish everything she desired,” Gregory stated. “Yet, I knew she aspired to commemorate this memorial and debt anniversary. So, I arranged it as she…anticipated.”
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The Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group provides support to the Associated Press Health and Science Department. AP retains sole responsibility for all content.
Source: apnews.com
