The Lewis County Democrats announced plans this week to assist locals struggling with medical debt by leveraging donations to buy and forgive the debt.
The local Democrats announced the news Monday, adding that they believe every dollar donated could erase as much as $200 in qualifying debt.
“It’s a first-of-its-kind effort in Washington to turn small donations into life-changing relief,” reads the announcement.
According to the local party, the Lewis County Democrats are the only party organization in Washington participating in the initiative, which is being supported through a program called Dem’s Work, a project of Contest Every Race.
Contest Every Race is a nationwide effort with the stated goal of making Democrat candidates competitive in every district in every part of the country.
According to the news release, Lewis County is among the top three counties in the state for the largest healthcare spending per person.
“In Lewis County, almost a third of residents struggle with unpaid healthcare bills. Pile that on top of the cost-of-living crisis, and we end up with people stuck in long-term debt with no way out,” Lewis County Democrats Chair Zac Eckstein said. “This relief is going to give a lot of families some much needed peace of mind.”
Local party leadership believes donations can have an outsized impact on medical debt, pointing out that medical debts can be purchased by outside parties for a fraction of the original value.
According to the release, a $10 contribution could erase up to $2,000 in medical debt; $100 could erase up to $20,000. Leaders believe raising $500 could eliminate as much as $100,000 in debt.
While the campaign is being organized by the local Democrats, the announcement specifies that eligibility does not factor in political affiliation or preference, and recipients do not need to be registered Democrats, participate in the campaign or pay anything in return.
Lewis County Democrats will not select recipients or receive their private information. Local parties will receive a report detailing the campaign's overall impact.
According to the announcement, qualifying debt is identified by the program for those living well under the federal poverty line or if their medical debt is more than 5% of their annual income. There are no strings attached or surprise taxes for those that get relief.
“This is an opportunity to make a real, tangible difference in people's lives, and we're honored to be leading the charge here in Washington,” Eckstein said. “We hope the community will join us in this really unique and exciting chance to help those who need it most.”
Donations to the medical debt relief fund will be accepted through Sept. 30. Contribution amounts are unlimited and must be made online; checks and cash cannot be accepted for this initiative.
To contribute or learn more, visit https://lewiscountydemocrats.org/medical-debt/.
