Indiana church helps pay off $1.5M in families' medical debt

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) - A church in southwestern Indiana is helping to pay off $1.5 million in medical debt for families in its community.

Jeff Kinkade, pastor at Evansville's City Church, tells the Evansville Courier & Press the church is working with Rye, New York-based nonprofit RIP Medical Debt on the effort.

The church won't know whose debt is paid off, but those families will get a note saying: "We may never meet, but as an act of love in the name of Jesus Christ, your debt has been forgiven."

The newspaper says City Church will purchase $1.5 million of medical debt for $15,000.

RIP acquires packages of overdue charges for a fraction of their value and forgives them. It's worked with other organizations, including the Michigan Nurses Association , to clear medical debts.

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Information from: Evansville Courier & Press, http://www.courierpress.com