Jared Walker
Founder and Executive Director of Dollar For
Meet Jared
Jared Walker is the founder of Dollar For, a national nonprofit that eliminates medical debt by helping patients access hospital financial assistance. Inspired by his own family’s struggles with medical bills, Jared started Dollar For in 2015 as a crowdfunding effort. In 2021, Jared shifted focus after learning hospitals are legally required to offer financial aid—something most patients don’t know. Since then, Dollar For has become a nationwide movement, helping erase over $110 million in hospital debt. Jared is also the author of Empty Nest, a personal exploration of infertility, grief, and loss.
Recognition & Impact
Jared and his nonprofit, Dollar For, has caught the attention of major media outlets. This includes NPR's Lifekit podcast, Wall Street Journal, TIME, and Fast Company. We've even received invitations to the White House for special healthcare announcements.
Videos & Podcasts
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NPR - LifeKit Podcast
March 30th, 2023
We discuss the estimated $195 billion of medical debt in America. But just because a medical bill comes in the mail doesn't mean you have to pay that exact price. This episode, why you don't have to pay sticker price for medical procedures and how to negotiate your bill down.
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NPR - Indicator Podcast
June 29th, 2021
Jared started learning about healthcare laws to help families with medical bill issues. One day, he learned about the charity care laws, which mandate non-profit hospitals forgive debts or significantly reduce bills for people on a limited income. Jared began helping families to apply for these charity cares, and then he put those instructions on TikTok.
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An Arm and a Leg - Podcast
10.21 7:00-8:00PM
This viral TikTok video‘s recipe for “crushing” medical bills via charity-care laws is legally sound. And IRS filings from thousands of hospitals attest to $2.7 billion of crush-able debt from a single year— a number that experts say looks more like a floor than a ceiling.
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Frugal Friends - How to Save Money on Medical Bills
It’s so normal for us, as a society, to avoid health check-ups out of fear of shocking medical bills. But in most cases, what you see on your medical bill isn’t the amount you actually have to pay. In this episode, experts share the most common medical billing mistakes, how to spot them, and steps to challenge charges, get discounts, and find hidden financial aid.
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Bigger Pockets Podcast
Unpredictable healthcare costs keep many would-be retirees tethered to their nine-to-five jobs, but today’s guest has a solution. Jared Walker founded Dollar For, a nonprofit organization that has helped erase over $83 million in medical costs for everyday Americans. How? The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires many healthcare providers to offer a program that discounts costs for patients, so Jared and his team simply use it to negotiate people’s medical bills on their behalf.
