Snap Inc. Chief Executive Evan Spiegel and his wife, model and skincare entrepreneur Miranda Kerr, funded a philanthropic initiative that erased more than $550 million in medical debt for over 261,000 Californians. Announced in June 2026 through the national nonprofit Undue Medical Debt, the intervention represents the organization’s largest statewide medical debt relief effort in California to date.
How the $550 Million Debt Relief Program Works
The multimillion-dollar donation targets households facing severe affordability challenges and rising healthcare costs. Undue Medical Debt acquires bundled medical debt in bulk from hospitals, physician groups, and collection agencies for a fraction of its face value. This financial leverage allows modest contributions to abolish exponentially larger sums of consumer debt.
Qualifying for the debt erasure requires no application process. Beneficiaries are automatically selected if their household income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level-roughly $100,000 for a family of four-or if their medical debt equals 5% or more of their annual income. Impacted residents began receiving official notification letters in mid-July 2026.
“When someone you love is sick, all you want to do is focus on helping them get better,” said Miranda Kerr in a joint video release with her husband. “That’s why we wanted to support this effort and help relieve medical debt, so families can focus on caring for their loved ones and really supporting their healing.”
Geographic Impact Across California Counties
The relief initiative spans multiple regions in California, providing critical financial breathing room to urban centers and rural communities alike. San Diego County experienced the largest share of the rollout, with approximately $99 million in medical debt canceled for more than 40,000 individuals. Riverside County followed closely, wiping out about $69.5 million in debt for more than 35,000 residents. Other heavily impacted areas included Los Angeles County, where 17,466 people received $26.7 million in total relief.
Undue Medical Debt President and Chief Executive Allison Sesso highlighted the severity of the crisis, noting that one in four American adults carries medical debt, which frequently undermines healthcare access, economic stability, and mental wellbeing.
Broader Philanthropic Efforts in California
This medical debt initiative builds on a history of targeted giving by Spiegel and Kerr within their home state. In 2025, Spiegel joined other prominent business leaders and philanthropists to establish the Department of Angels, committing $10 million alongside the California Community Foundation and Snap to assist Los Angeles wildfire recovery efforts. Spiegel, who grew up in Pacific Palisades and lost his childhood home in the catastrophic fires, also provided $5 million in immediate personal and corporate aid. Additionally, the couple paid off student loans for the entire 2022 graduating class of the Otis College of Art and Design.
As healthcare costs continue to pressure working-class households, the partnership between Spiegel, Kerr, and Undue Medical Debt provides immediate financial relief, helping thousands of families regain stability and re-engage with necessary medical care.
