Evan Spiegel and Miranda Kerr Help Erase $550 Million in Medical Debt for Californians
A remarkable wave of relief is on the way for families across California.
Evan Spiegel, co-founder and CEO of Snap Inc., which owns Snapchat, and his wife, Australian model Miranda Kerr, have announced a major partnership with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt to cancel $550 million in medical debt for an estimated 261,000 Californians.
The couple shared the news Thursday morning, highlighting their support for families who have been carrying the heavy weight of medical bills amid rising healthcare costs.
Undue Medical Debt specializes in purchasing medical debt in large bundles, often for a fraction of its original value. Because of that model, every $10 donated can erase about $1,000 in medical debt for people who qualify. Across the United States, the nonprofit has already relieved more than $40 billion in medical debt in all 50 states.
For the people receiving help through this California effort, there is no application, paperwork, or repayment process. Undue Medical Debt identifies qualifying debt, purchases it, and cancels it. Families included in this relief can expect letters to begin arriving in the mail in mid-July.
“One of the reasons we wanted to share this directly is because if you happen to receive a letter in the mail saying your medical debt has been forgiven, we want you to know it’s real,” Kerr said in a video announcing the news.
A Gift That Gives Families Room to Breathe
Medical debt is one of the most painful financial burdens many Americans face. It is also a leading cause of bankruptcy and can deeply affect mental health, especially when families are already navigating illness, recovery, or caregiving.
Spiegel and Kerr said their hope is that this support allows people to focus on what matters most.
“When someone is sick or recovering, the focus should be on healing and caring for the people you love, not on bills that can follow a family for years,” Spiegel and Kerr said in a statement.
“At a time when so many Californians are already struggling with rising costs, medical debt can make it even harder for families to regain their footing. We’re grateful to support Undue Medical Debt’s work to help lift that burden, and we hope this relief gives families more peace of mind and more room to prioritize their health, their loved ones, and their future.”
Where the Relief Will Reach
This partnership will wipe out more than half a billion dollars in medical debt for just over a quarter million people and families in California.
Undue Medical Debt is able to create such a large impact by buying qualifying medical debt from hospitals, physician groups, and collection agencies for pennies on the dollar. Once purchased, that debt is erased, often coming as a joyful surprise to recipients.
The California counties expected to benefit most from the partnership include:
- San Diego County
- Riverside County
- San Bernardino County
- San Joaquin County
- Los Angeles County
- Stanislaus County
- Monterey County
- San Francisco County
- Sonoma County
- Alameda County
For those who receive a letter, the change can be immediate and life-giving.
“In 2018, I was in a traumatic car accident during a medical crisis. The ambulance bill alone was over $4,600 — a number that haunted me for years while I was trying to rebuild my life, go back to school, and raise my daughter as a single mom,” Brooklyn, a former recipient of medical debt relief in Woodland, California, shared in a statement.
“I never thought I’d get relief. When I opened the letter from Undue Medical Debt, I cried. Not just because the money was erased, but because someone out there believed I deserved a second chance. This isn’t just about debt — it’s about hope.”
Why This Matters
The beauty of this announcement is simple: hundreds of thousands of people will have a source of stress removed from their lives.
Medical debt can linger for years, following families through job changes, school plans, parenting responsibilities, illness, and recovery. When that debt disappears, people gain more than financial relief. They gain space to heal, plan, and move forward with greater peace.
At the same time, the announcement points to a much larger reality. Spiegel is a billionaire; Forbes reported his personal net worth at $2.1 billion at the time of the original article. Snap has also recently drawn attention for releasing new AR glasses priced at $2,195.
That contrast reflects the broader inequality in the United States, where many working families go into debt simply to receive medical care while ultra-wealthy individuals hold extraordinary resources.
Some advocates continue to call for systemic healthcare solutions, including universal healthcare or Medicare for All. Still, while larger reforms are debated, organizations like Undue Medical Debt are offering meaningful help right now.
Undue Medical Debt president and CEO Allison Sesso celebrated the size and impact of the gift.
“The scale of this gift to Californians is truly astonishing, unburdening over a quarter million families of over half a billion dollars of un-payable medical debt,” Sesso said in a statement.
“In the U.S. 1 in 4 adults are in medical debt; it’s a growing crisis undermining healthcare access, economic wellbeing, and mental health. We’re so grateful that Evan Spiegel and Miranda Kerr share our belief that no one should go bankrupt because of a cancer diagnosis, and no family should have to choose between insulin and groceries.”
A Growing Movement of Generosity
Spiegel and Kerr are joining a wider community of people who have helped Undue Medical Debt cancel billions of dollars in burdensome medical bills.
In 2023, thousands of people donated more than $1 million in honor of Casey McIntyre, whose final wish was to relieve medical debt for others in her community.
Instagram educator and commentator Sharon McMahon also raised more than $1 million with her followers to support medical debt relief.
Churches, local communities, and even party-goers at New York’s annual “Debt Gala,” an alternative to the Met Gala, have joined the effort as well.
Together, these stories show that generosity can take many forms. Large gifts can create sweeping change, and smaller donations from everyday people can add up to something extraordinary.
Kerr said part of the couple’s goal was to help more people discover the nonprofit’s work.
“We … wanted to shine a light on the incredible work Undue Medical Debt is doing because so many people have never actually heard of them,” Kerr said in the announcement video.
“If this resonates with you, we encourage you to learn more about Undue Medical Debt and consider supporting their work,” Spiegel added.
