When Terry Belk couldn’t pay his late wife’s breast cancer bills in 2012, he had to resort to having Atrium Health receive $23,000 from the sale of his home to pay off the bills. Then, in 2022, the hospital sued Belk for the $6,000 he still owed for prostate cancer care.

North Carolinians owe the third most medical debt of any state (13% affected), with Americans as a whole owing $220 billion. Hospitals engage in aggressive billing practices, often imposing exorbitant charges with little transparency. Many patients are blindsided by unexpected bills, which significantly worsen their financial situations. The lack of price transparency is creating an environment where patients are caught off guard and left struggling.
A new study by The Commonwealth Fund found that prices can vary significantly for the same service in the same hospital.
Despite the availability of financial assistance programs, many patients often find it difficult to access the support they need due to complex procedures and lack of clear information. This results in many patients facing unmanageable medical debt after necessary procedures.

Better Solutions is committed to holding hospitals accountable for their lack of charitable giving and financial assistance. Patients don’t deserve to go into debt to get the care they deserve.