Evaluation of Internet-based crowdsourced fundraising to cover health care costs in the United States

As a tool for raising funds for charitable donations or to assist patients, online fundraising platforms are rising in popularity. Researchers conducted a study to examine the use of a popular fundraising platform to cover health care–related costs. Using data from the GoFundMe website, from its inception in May 2010 through December 2018, researchers classified fundraisers by conditions that pose high morbidity among Americans: cancer, cardiovascular conditions, neurological conditions, and trauma or injury. More than a quarter (26.7%) of the 1,056,455 fundraisers on the platform in the United States between May 2010 and December 2018 were for health care-related costs, collectively seeking more than more $10 billion. As of April 2019, more than $3.6 billion had been raised. Cancer represented the most common medical condition for which funding was sought, followed by trauma/injury. The study suggests that many cancer patients are using online fundraisers to deal with the high financial burden. According to the study authors, “These results highlight how many people are relying on the charity of others for raising money to cover health care costs.”