Terry Belk, who owed thousands for cancer treatment for himself and his late wife, said he was stunned by a call from Atrium Health telling him the lien on his home was cancelled.

Less than a week after NBC News detailed how the hospital system Atrium Health of North Carolina aggressively pursued former patients’ medical debts, placing liens on their homes to collect on hospital bills, the nonprofit company announced it would cancel those obligations and forgive the unpaid debts associated with them. Some 11,500 liens on people’s homes in North Carolina and five other states will be released, Atrium’s parent company, Advocate Health, said with some dating back 20 years or more.

Advocate Health said it is changing its policy now as “the next logical step” following a 2022 decision to stop filing lawsuits and property liens to collect on patients’ medical debts. The company declined NBC News’ request for an interview about the shift.

  • Maeve
    4•4 days ago

    You’re welcome and thanks again for sharing. A lot of people wouldn’t be comfortable doing that. I hope the lump being gone is indicative of great news!

    Yeah, the chemicals can be pretty brutal. A friend who went through chemo said everything tasted like dirty socks smell, and oddly, dill. My nephew didn’t complain about taste so much, but subsisted almost wholly on yogurt, since it was the only thing he could keep down, and was also really tired a lot. If the eyebrows bother you, there are fill -in kits, idk if that would work for you. Wishing you the best possible outcome.

    • Maple EngineerEnglish
      3•4 days ago

      Thanks.

      I have a PICC line in which makes the infusions much easier. When the flush the line once a week and before the infusion it’s just saline (water and sodium chloride) but it smells like whiteboard markers to me. I think it increases the conductivity in your nose and mouth and I can really smell hospital smell.