Arkansas doctor forgives $650k in medical debt
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A recently retired Arkansas oncologist's kind gesture is drawing national attention.
Doctor Omar Atiq was growing increasingly worried about the COVID-19 pandemic and how it would impact his former patients.
"For them to worry about anything else other than getting back to health," said Omar Atiq. "It's just not fair."
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Doctor Atiq decided to give them a helping hand.
For his 200 former patients, he wiped out their medical debt. A total of $650,000.
He sent them a holiday card letting them know, writing: "The clinic has decided to forego all balances owed to the clinic by its patients."
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"They're like our extended family. There's no biggest honor, there's no higher honor than to serve as a physician," said Atiq. "And if I have been blessed to be able to help a little then I'm glad for it."
Doctor Atiq, a father of four, has been a physician for 30 years.
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