1. A county or district hospital shall release its lien upon payment of the charges.
2. If the amount or the validity of the charges owed or the validity of the lien is disputed by the owner of the property, the owner may give the county or district hospital written notice of the dispute and demand that the hospital file a suit to foreclose the lien within 90 days. If the county or district hospital does not file suit within the 90-day period, the lien is extinguished. The county or district hospital shall release its lien upon the expiration of the 90-day period.
3. Any county or district hospital that fails to release a lien pursuant to subsection 1 or 2 when required is liable in a civil action for treble damages, if the plaintiff in the action gives the county or district hospital at least 15 days’ written notice of its failure to release the lien and the release has not been recorded.