Vituity, a medical staffing service and physician group, partnered with RIP Medical Debt to erase $25.4 million of medical debt in the Pacific Northwest.
This is the first time RIP has abolished debt in collaboration with a physician group, the company said in a Jan. 25 news release.
As a result of the collaboration, more than 46,000 patients in Oregon and Washington had their outstanding medical debt on eligible patient invoices abolished.
The partnership targeted debt that was incurred through an emergency department or hospital visit or patients who meet RIP's criteria for relief.
"Since being approved by the Department of Health & Human Services to work directly with healthcare providers to abolish burdensome medical debts, RIP has sought out partners who share our vision of removing the financial and emotional burden of medical debt," said Allison Sesso, RIP's executive director. "We're proud to be working with Vituity, the first physician group with which we've collaborated, to repair the financial standing of so many families during these exceedingly trying times."