The VA Hospital System presently holds in its files millions of dollars in unpaid and unpayable medical debt. Up until this point, there has been no alternative to either collecting on it endlessly, writing it off to sit there as a burden on the minds of our veterans, or “adjusting” but not forgiving it.

There is a humane solution that deserves consideration - forgiving it in full! Certain charities acting in the role of a 501(C)(3) are positioned to either accept this debt as a donation or even purchase portfolios from the VA at debt industry fair market value and then abolish it at no tax consequences to the recipient.

Here’s how it can be done! It will require a simple change in policy. There is precedent at the federal level. On July 21, 2020 in an Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General Advisory Opinion 20-04, it was possible for the charity RIP Medical Debt to go directly to hospitals and buy medical debt from them rather than through third-party debt buyers. This change has already helped a number of U.S. hospitals to rid their books of unpayable debt in a way not previously possible. Literally millions of dollars are now being sold off freeing hundreds of thousands of Americans and their families from this crippling injustice.

If this can be done for American civilians, there is no reason why it can’t be done for our service members and veterans. These people in particular have put their lives on the line for us; it’s our turn to do something to make their lives easier. “Thank you for your service” does not cut it.

Details on HHS OIG Advisory Opinion 20-04 can be found at this link: https://bit.ly/3yXMcvY

More details on the #EndVetMedDebt campaign can be found at: https://endveteranmedicaldebt.com/