Philanthropists and foundations like the one I work for take a lot of calculated risks. We invest in research, advocacy, strategic communications, technical assistance, and many other activities, hoping they will help us advance our strategic priorities. We evaluate our efforts whenever we can, but many defy measurement — assessing the impact of our work is a persistent challenge.
Results from a recent study, currently published as a National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) working paper, on the important topic of medical debt relief provided an all-too-rare burst of clarity.
The amount of medical debt in the U.S. is estimated to exceed $220 billion, and affects 2 in 5 adults. Medical debt most often results from unexpected…
