MacKenzie Scott gives rare third gift to medical debt relief group

MacKenzie Scott continues to make medical debt relief a priority in her mysterious giving.

This week, Undue Medical Debt, formerly RIP Medical Debt, announced it had received a rare third gift — $50 million — from the billionaire philanthropist, signaling her satisfaction with the group’s efforts to purchase medical debt in bulk from hospitals and debt collectors. Scott has donated a total of $130 million to the organization since 2020.

Medical debt is increasing despite most of the U.S. population having some form of medical insurance. Nearly 100 million people are unable to pay their medical bills, according to Third Way, a left-leaning national think tank.

Overall, Americans owe about $220 billion in medical debt, with historically disadvantaged groups shouldering the bulk of the burden. Lower-income people, people with disabilities, middle-aged adults, Black people, the uninsured, and people living in rural areas are among the groups most likely to be affected by medical debt, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.