Australian model Miranda Kerr and her billionaire husband Evan Spiegel have made an incredibly generous donation, wiping clean medical debt for hundreds of thousands of people. The Los Angeles-based couple announced the news in a video shared in partnership with Undue Medical Debt, a non-profit that aims to erase medical debt in the US.
Massive Debt Relief for Californians
In a video posted to the charity’s Instagram, the couple confirmed they had paid more than $US550 million ($A798 million) in medical debt for more than 260,000 people living in California. The donation, one of the largest of its kind, targets individuals facing financial hardship due to medical bills.
Billionaire businessman Spiegel, 36, announced the partnership with Undue Medical Debt and reassured viewers it wasn’t a scam. “One of the reasons we wanted to share this directly is because if you happen to receive a letter in the mail letting you know your medical debt has been forgiven,” Kerr, 43, added. “We want you to know it’s real.”
Personal Motivation Behind the Donation
Spiegel said medical debt can be a burden that lasts long after a health crisis has passed. “When someone you love is sick, all you want to do is focus on helping them get better,” Kerr said. “That’s why we wanted to support this effort and help relieve medical debt so families can focus on caring for their loved ones and really supporting their healing.”
The couple explained people didn’t need to apply or fill out paperwork, with eligible recipients simply receiving a letter informing them their debt had been cleared. Kerr also took the opportunity to “shine a light” on the charity and encouraged others to support the work Undue Medical Debt is doing to help people facing financial hardship due to medical bills.
Entrepreneurial Success and Philanthropy
The couple, who married in 2017, have both enjoyed huge entrepreneurial success. Spiegel is the co-founder and CEO of Snap Inc., while Kerr, who comes from the country town of Gunnedah in NSW, runs her own wellness brand, KORA Organics. “And to everyone whose debt is being relieved through this effort, we’re sending you and your loved ones so much love,” the couple ended the clip. “We hope this brings a little peace of mind and allows you to focus on what matters the most.”
How Undue Medical Debt Works
Undue Medical Debt, formerly known as RIP Medical Debt, is a major non-profit that eliminates personal medical debt for qualifying individuals in the US. The organisation purchases large portfolios of unpayable medical debt from healthcare providers and debt collectors at a steep discount before abolishing the debt entirely. According to the charity, every dollar donated can erase approximately $100 in medical debt, making such donations highly efficient.
