On a chilly day last week, Fr. Mike and Sandy Olsen sat at their dining room table and stuffed envelopes with good news. By the weekend, 621 households that owed between $1,000 and $8,000 each in medical debt to Holy Cross Hospital were opening letters that told them their debt was forgiven, entirely. Rev. Pamela Shepherd of Taos United Community Church signed the letters on behalf of a diverse group of 11 faith communities and eight individuals who, together, purchased and forgave $1.3 million in debt. They did this by assembling gifts totaling nearly $39,000.
How does this magic work? Bill Patten, CEO of Holy Cross Hospital explains that hospitals sell debt that is deemed uncollectable to collection agencies who then try to make money by collecting more than they paid for the debt. The sales price is generally between three and five cents per dollar of debt sold. Holy Cross, in a gesture of support for this charitable effort, sold its debt to the donors for the minimal price of three cents per dollar. There will be no collection agency calling these homes.
In 2018, Rev. Shepherd read an article in The New York Times about a megachurch in Texas that had purchased the debt of its members. She thought, why not here, and called Mr. Patten. As it turns out, he had read the same article and they were mutually inspired to try this in Taos. Bill Patten took the concept to the hospital board, where it was enthusiastically endorsed. He also approached his church, Taos Bilingual Seventh Day Adventist Church. Pamela Shepherd took it to her congregation. And she shared it with her friend Rev. Ginna Bairby of First Presbyterian Church of Taos. Together these three faith communities contributed enough to purchase $80,000 in debt for 80 households. Of this year’s effort, Rev. Bairby says, “Everyone relates to COVID-19 this year, so suddenly it is a lot easier for all of us to see ourselves in that position of being in the hospital bed or receiving that letter. Our church prays “debts.” We are living the Lord’s Prayer here.”
A close colleague of Revs. Shepherd and Bairby, Cheri Lyon, pastor at El Pueblito United Methodist Church, soon joined the effort, involving her congregation and taking the word to the Taos Interfaith/Intercultural Alliance. From there it quickly bloomed into not just an ecumenical, but truly interfaith project.
Neem Karoli Baba Ashram joined the project in 2019 and this year set the pace for giving with an anonymous matching gift that inspired total contributions of over $16,000. Paul Abrams, a Santa Fe attorney who is a devotee and regular participant at the Ashram, leads the funding effort there. Paul says, “The Indian saints Ramakrishna and Vivekananda, writing about the golden rule, said we help others because they are us. As we treat other people, we are treating ourselves and serving as exemplar for our children, our grandchildren, and our community.”
Bette Myerson, a Taos resident and interfaith pioneer since 1986, carried the project to B’nai Shalom Havurah and Unitarian Congregation of Taos. She supports the effort because, “Medical debt causes bankruptcy. Until this country decides to do the right thing and make medical care affordable and available to all, we have to do something to help those who do not have coverage or have to pay deductibles that they cannot afford.”
In a February 2019 story for CNBC, Lorie Konish states that “Two-thirds of people who file for bankruptcy cite medical issues as a key contributor to their financial downfall.” According to Holy Cross Hospital CFO, Steve Rozenboom, uncollectable debt in the local service area for 2020 totaled over $4.45 million. With the growing attraction of this project, perhaps the faith community can come together to purchase the entire amount in 2021. As CEO Bill Patten says, “I am so humbled at the work of the congregations to grow the program to the level it is. I feel like the little boy with the fish and bread.”
While the Medical Debt Relief Project for this year is complete, persons interested in contributing to the fund for next year may do so through any of the participating faith communities: B’nai Shalom Havurah; El Pueblito United Methodist Church; First Presbyterian Church of Taos; Living Word Ministries; Neem Karoli Baba Ashram; Open Heart Sangha; St. James Episcopal Church; Taos Bilingual Seventh-day Adventist Church; Taos United Community Church; Unitarian Congregation of Taos; Unity of Taos. Contributions can also be made online HERE. Select Taos Medical Relief Fund.