New Beginnings: A Hospital System's Shift in Debt Collection Policy

In a surprising turn of events, Atrium Health, a North Carolina-based hospital system, has announced that it will cancel and forgive medical debts of over 11,500 people. This decision comes after a recent NBC News report highlighted the company's aggressive pursuit of patients' debts, including placing liens on their homes. The move marks a significant shift in the company's policy, as it has stopped filing lawsuits and property liens to collect on patients' medical debts. The decision is a result of a 2022 decision to reevaluate its debt collection practices. Atrium Health's parent company, Advocate Health, has stated that this change is the "next logical step" in its efforts to prioritize patient care and well-being. The company has not commented on the specifics of its new policy, but it is clear that the recent report has had a significant impact. One individual who has benefited from this change is Terry Belk, a 68-year-old Charlotte resident who had been struggling to pay off medical debts. Belk's wife passed away from breast cancer in 2012, and he was later diagnosed with prostate cancer. His treatment and his wife's treatment racked up tens of thousands of dollars in bills that their insurance did not cover. Atrium Health pursued Belk in court, and he was forced to sign a deed of trust, granting the company the right to receive $23,000 when he sold his family home. Belk was stunned to receive a phone call from an Atrium Health executive informing him that his debts would be forgiven. He credits the national coverage by NBC News for making this possible. "There's no way this would have happened without national coverage by NBC News," Belk said. Rebecca Cerese, a health policy advocate at the North Carolina Justice Center, has welcomed the move. She hopes that other hospitals will follow suit and prioritize patient care over debt collection. "Dealing with an illness or loss of a loved one is hard enough — we should not be compounding that with this additional stress of facing financial ruin," Cerese said.