KIRO 7, Rick Rizzs pay off strangers’ medical debt
Feb 14, 2018, 11:28 AM | Updated: Oct 1, 2024, 7:39 am
Rick Rizzs. (KIRO Radio)
(KIRO Radio)
Our news partner KIRO 7 is making headlines for paying off $1 million worth of medical debt. Now, the famed voice of the Mariners, Rick Rizzs is joining in the effort.
KIRO 7’s Jesse Jones started the effort. He found out that you can buy medical debt for pennies on the dollar. Collection agencies already do this. Then, they send bill after bill to the person drowning in debt. If it’s not paid the collection agency just loses a few dollars, but the person with the debt continues to rack up interest.
KIRO 7 worked with a New York company to buy medical debt and pay it off. They paid off $1 million in debt but spent only $12,000 to do it.
Rick Rizzs, who years ago started the charity Toys for Kids, heard about this and decided to pitch in $5,000 towards the effort, which will pay off nearly $500,000 in medical debt.
Watch the story from Jesse Jones to learn how you can help, too. Viewers have already pitched in an additional $20,000 to the cause.
If you have a Daily Dose of Kindness to share with Colleen, email her at cobrien@kiroradio.com.
You can hear Colleen O’Brien’s “Daily Dose of Kindness” segment every morning at 7:30 a.m. on KIRO Radio 97.3 FM.
