Crossroads Church helps pay off medical debt for thousands of Ohioans

A Miami Valley church is helping pay off nearly $47 million in medical debt for thousands of families throughout Ohio.

Crossroads Church, which has congregations scattered across the state, partnered with a nonprofit medical debt relief organization.

According to national reports, approximately two-thirds of personal bankruptcies in the country revolve around medical debt. That statistic drove the Crossroads leadership to take action.

“We found out there was this opportunity to partner with this organization called 'RIP Medical Debt,' ”Andy Reider, Crossroads Dayton community pastor, told News Center 7’s Monica Castro on Friday.

Because of the nature of the debt and the sort of loss they are willing to take on it.

“We're able to purchase it really cheaply” Reider said.

In November, pastors challenged their congregants to donate. The deadline was one week.

“It ended up being $465,000 raised but because of the way medical debt can be purchased that nets to $46.5 million we were able to purchase and pay off,” the pastor said.

Approximately three quarters of a million dollars went to Dayton.

Each recipient was given the good news in the mail -- a bright yellow envelope that read, “your medical debt has been paid.”

Reider said the congregation has received lots of thanks via social media. Personally, he said he feels blessed to be a part of changing so many lives.

“We'll never be the church that just kind of holds services and says that's good enough. We want of benefit to the people and communities we are in,” he said.

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