END MEDICAL DEBT:
Curing America’s Healthcare Crisis
Updated and Expanded Covid Recovery Edition
The #1 bestseller in Health Policy and Top 100 in Personal Finance by the founders of RIP Medical Debt, the national charity that abolished $5 billion in unpayable healthcare bills.
As the pandemic persists, three seasoned industry insiders discuss ending the hardship of personal medical debt, From their diverse viewpoints, they examine our best options for fixing the broken American healthcare system.
First and only book covering the surges of Covid-19 medical bills impacting individuals and society.
Highlights of End Medical Debt:
- Paints the Big Picture for the causes and consequences of the current $140 billion in U.S. medical debt.
- Offers practical tools and insights for individuals and families facing the pain of unpayable medical bills.
- Explains the structure and financing of medical care. Lays bare how it works, and why it works that way.
- Exposes medical costs and debt inequities for the poor, for veterans and for the under-insured middle class.
- Shows how early hospitals and insurance evolved and became trapped into putting profits before health.
- Weighs proposed national solutions from the authors’ progressive, moderate and conservative perspectives.
- Explores the balance between personal responsibility and social responsibility in generating good health.
- Tells the origin story of RIP Medical Debt. Gives an inside look at buying and cancelling hardship debt.
The Authors
Jerry Ashton -- Jerry is a four-decade veteran of the collections industry who rethought his career and profession after working in the Occupy Wall Street movement. He turned from debt collector to debt forgiver, which led him in 2014 to co-found RIP Medical Debt. In 2020 Jerry retired to RIP’s board and founded LetsRethinkThis.org.
Robert E. Goff -- With more than 45 years of experience in the healthcare industry, Robert is a respected expert in care delivery, organization and financing. He recently retired as the Executive Director and CEO of University Physicians Network. A founding director of RIP Medical Debt, he still serves on its Board.
Craig Antico -- Before co-founding RIP Medical Debt, Craig ran companies that bought and collected debt for a profit. Today, he’s a sought-after expert in debt forgiveness and identifying people with debt causing hardship. Town and Country magazine named him among its top forty Philanthropist of the Year. He serves Emeritus on the RIP board.
Reviews:
“End Medical Debt is one of the best books I've read that explains how our healthcare system became a voracious monster, and the steps we can take, individually and collectively, to keep it from devouring us."
-- Wendell Potter, Center for Health and Democracy
“The Covid recovery edition of
End Medical Debt breaks down critical issues in a way that’s easy to understand. ”
--
Marlene Wust-Smith, MD,
Physician Outlook Magazine“End Medical Debt is special because it advocates for systemic change, while providing tactical solutions for Americans now facing the devastating burden of medical debt.
-- Rohan Pavluri, Upsolve
“End Medical Debt is exactly what’s needed to jumpstart the national discussion about our current dysfunctional for-profit health care system, and what to do about it.”
-- Joel R. Segal, Former senior assistant, U.S. Congress.
“End Medical Debt demonstrates Americans can come together from diverse viewpoints and find agreement.”
-- Marion Mass, MD, Free2Care
Jerry Ashton is a four-decade veteran of the collections industry who rethought his career and profession after being inspired by his work in the Occupy Wall Street movement. He turned from debt collector to debt forgiver, which led him in 2014 to co-founding RIP Medical Debt. Achieving in 2020 his goal of RIP abolishing $1billion in medical debt, Jerry retired to RIP's board and founded LetsRethinkThis.com to address and solve other societal problems.
Robert E. Goff has more than 45 years of experience in the healthcare industry. He is a respected expert in care delivery, organization and financing. His career spans a range of leadership roles as a hospital administrator, managed care executive, consultant, regulator, and association executive, retiring recently as the Executive Director and CEO of University Physicians Network, based in New York. A founding director of RIP Medical Debt, he serves on its Board.
Craig Antico co-founded RIP Medical Debt after he ran companies that bought and collected debt for a profit. Today, he's a sought-after expert in debt forgiveness and identifying people with debt causing hardship. He's been interviewed by national media, including NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, PBS Newshour, The Doctors, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal. Town and Country named him among its top forty Philanthropist of the Year. He serves Emeritus on the RIP board.
