Legal Question in Health Care Law in California
I drove to a hospital emergency room in January 2010. Without a job, I told the employee at the registration desk that I might not be able to pay the bill.
I was at the hospital for approximately three hours. The nurses took an EKG and chest x-ray. They also took my blood. At some point during the visit, I was asked to sign several documents. I refused to sign the financial responsibility document, which the hospital employee noted on the document. Shortly thereafter I was sent home. I was given copies of all documents.
The hospital sent me a bill. Without payment, they tell me the bill will be sent to a collection agency, despite my refusal to sign any financial responsibility document.
Can the hospital do this? Can the hospital send the bill to a collection agency or is it an empty threat? How could the hospital consider me responsible for the bill without any contract between us?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Public hospitals in California are obligated to treat a patient without regard to his or her ability to pay for the services. However, hospitals are entitled to try and collect payment for those services, even if a patient did not sign a financial responsibility document. Without the signed agreement, the hospital has an oral contract, not a written contract, for services.
So yes, the hospital can send you to a collection agency.
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