Church to Pay Off $5.3M in Family Medical Bills

A Los Angeles church is paying off $5.3 million worth of medical debt for nearly 6,000 households in Southern California, according to one of the church's pastors.

Christian Assembly purchased the debt for $53,000 and is working with a nonprofit organization to pay the outstanding bills for 5,555 families in 28 neighborhoods, co-lead pastor Tom Hughes said in a video posted online Thursday.

“We are able to give a Christmas gift to the people of Los Angeles, no strings attached,” he said.

The church will also help the recipients repair their credit scores, Hughes said.