'Making peoples' lives hell': When he couldn't pay for cancer treatment, the hospital sued

Americans owe at least $220 billion in medical debt. In one of the states hardest hit, North Carolina, Terry Belk is still trying to pay for his late wife's cancer treatment and his own.

In 2012, Terry Belk’s beloved wife, Sandra, died after a yearslong battle with breast cancer. The car salesman in Charlotte, North Carolina, had quit work to take care of his wife, and the bills for her treatment were more than he could pay, even with health insurance. Adding to his burden, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer that year, generating additional bills for his own treatment.

Atrium Health, the nonprofit hospital treating the Belks, pursued them aggressively for their debts. Without fully understanding the consequences, Belk said, he agreed to what’s known as a deed of trust under which the hospital will receive roughly $23,000 when he sells his home, an amount that will cover outstanding amounts owed for his wife’s treatments. “We weren’t trying to abscond from the bills,” he said. “I wanted to pay but I couldn’t.”

It didn’t end there. In 2022, the hospital sued Belk for the roughly $6,000 he still owed for prostate cancer care. Belk said he knew he couldn’t win in court so he agreed to pay off the debt, which has grown to around $8,000 with interest. Belk said he is paying $100 a month to whittle it down and keep bill collectors away.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/medical-debt-crisis-north-carolina-rcna161200

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