GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - Medical debt is a burden that affects millions of North Carolinians.

“How can I pay off medical debt?” Pitt County resident Marlyn Hemby says. “I don’t want to go back to the hospital because I still owe them money.”

Many in need of medical care are thinking the same thing, but with Governor Josh Stein’s new medical debt relief program, there might be an end in sight for those facing relentless bills.

On Wednesday, Stein visited Greenville to talk about the program, which has relieved $6.5 billion in medical debt for people across the state.

“Debt is a real burden on North Carolinians, and 2.5 million, that’s about 20 to 25 percent of the state, have now had that debt relieved,” Stein says.

The program has been in development since 2024, when eligible hospi

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