Frequently asked questions
Which platform should I actually use for my medical situation?▼
It depends on your situation. For private medical fundraising from friends and family, A Better Gift is purpose-built — requests are never publicly listed and the recipient receives 100% of contributions. For ongoing medical fundraising where Medicaid/SSI eligibility matters, Help Hope Live structures contributions through their nonprofit so funds don't count as personal income. For viral public reach, GoFundMe remains the largest platform.
Can I raise money for medical bills without my whole community knowing?▼
Yes. A Better Gift is built specifically for private medical fundraising. Your request is never publicly listed, never indexed by search engines, and never discoverable by strangers. Private by default. Public only if you choose.
Will medical fundraising affect my Medicaid or SSI eligibility?▼
It can. Most personal fundraising platforms — including GoFundMe, A Better Gift, FreeFunder, and GoGetFunding — distribute funds directly to recipients, where they may count as income or assets that affect benefit eligibility. Help Hope Live is structured differently as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that pays medical providers directly, which in most cases keeps the raised funds from being treated as your personal income or assets. Specifics vary by state and program — if you receive Medicaid, SSI, or similar benefits, talk to a benefits counselor or your caseworker before relying on any platform to preserve your eligibility.
Why would I use A Better Gift instead of just doing a GoFundMe?▼
GoFundMe is public by default — campaigns are listed in a searchable directory and indexed by Google. A Better Gift is private by default — requests are never publicly listed or searchable. GoFundMe deducts a 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee from each contribution. A Better Gift's 6.9% service fee is paid by contributors on top of their gift, so recipients receive 100%. GoFundMe is built for viral reach to strangers; A Better Gift is built for support from people you already know.
Are there fee-free alternatives to GoFundMe for medical bills?▼
Several platforms offer "no platform fee" models including FreeFunder, Spotfund, and GiveSendGo. They typically rely on optional donor tips rather than charging a flat percentage. With A Better Gift, the recipient receives 100% of contributions — the 6.9% service fee is paid by contributors on top of their gift rather than deducted from what the recipient gets. The most cost-effective platform depends on whether you're optimizing for what donors pay or what recipients receive.
How quickly do medical fundraising platforms release funds?▼
Speed varies. A Better Gift uses Stripe Connect to route funds directly to the recipient's bank in 2-3 business days with no platform-side holding period. GoFundMe takes 2-5 business days after a withdrawal request. Help Hope Live pays medical providers directly on a different schedule. Mightycause and other public platforms typically release funds in 2-7 business days after withdrawal request.
I'm on Medicaid and afraid raising money will mess up my coverage. What do I do?▼
This is a real concern and you're right to ask before raising money. Most personal fundraising platforms — A Better Gift, GoFundMe, FreeFunder, and others — deposit funds to your personal bank account, where they may count as income or assets that affect Medicaid, SSI, or other benefit eligibility. Help Hope Live is structured differently: it's a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that pays your medical providers directly, so funds typically don't count as your personal assets. Rules vary by state and program, so before choosing any platform, talk to your benefits caseworker, a benefits-planning attorney, or a Medicaid advocate. Don't assume — ask first.
The hospital is sending me to collections. Is it too late to fundraise?▼
It's not too late, but the steps change. First: most hospital bills are negotiable even after they've gone to collections. Call the hospital's billing department and ask about charity care, financial assistance programs, or a settlement on the amount owed — many hospitals will reduce balances by 30-70% or set up zero-interest payment plans. Second: collections agencies are usually willing to settle for less than the full amount, especially in lump sum payments. Knowing what you actually owe after negotiation makes fundraising more realistic and the target less overwhelming. Then private fundraising through people who already care about you can cover the negotiated amount in 2-3 business days, far faster than collection lawsuits move.
Is GoFundMe good for medical bills?▼
GoFundMe can work for medical bills — it's fast to set up and reaches a wide audience — but there are real trade-offs. Your campaign is public and searchable, the money you receive can count as a personal asset (which may affect Medicaid or SSI), and it's built for reaching strangers rather than the people who already know you. For a private medical request shared only with your own circle — never publicly listed, with 100% of contributions reaching you — A Better Gift is purpose-built; for benefits-safe ongoing medical fundraising, Help Hope Live routes funds through its nonprofit. Use GoFundMe when broad public reach matters most.
Does GoFundMe affect Medicaid or SSI?▼
It can. Money you raise on GoFundMe is generally paid to you and can be counted as personal income or assets, which may affect asset-based benefits like Medicaid or SSI (specific rules vary by state and program). Nonprofit medical-fundraising platforms like Help Hope Live are structured so contributions usually aren't treated as your personal income, which better protects eligibility. If benefits are a concern, talk to a benefits counselor before launching a public campaign, and consider a nonprofit route or a private request through A Better Gift.
