Major Hospital Chain Sues Patients During Pandemic: CNN

[Stuart G]

Warning: Horrific That a Hospital Chain Would Do This During Pandemic

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/17/us/hospital-lawsuits-pandemic-invs/index.html
___________________________________________________________________________________


(CNN) — As the coronavirus spiked in Missouri last fall, a wave of cases hit a nursing home in the state's rural heartland. Robin Bull, a part-time nurse, remembered an ambulance "coming and going constantly" on one especially scary morning, rushing residents to Moberly Regional Medical Center, the local hospital.

But even as Bull was helping send patients to Moberly Regional, the hospital was in the process of suing her and at least one other former employee at the nursing home. They were two of more than 600 former patients that the hospital has sued over medical bills during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a CNN analysis of court records.

Moberly Regional sued Bull last May for $9,281, costs that Bull said came from an emergency room visit for food poisoning several years ago. After a judge ruled in the hospital's favor late last year, the company filed a motion to start garnishing part of her roughly $850-per-month salary.

Bull, who also receives disability payments, said she and her husband both contracted Covid-19 last summer, and they've struggled to pay their bills each month.

"I tried to reason with the lawyers and tell them there's no way I can pay for this, but nothing worked," Bull said. "Having this huge bill looming over my head -- it's been stressful, it's been heart-sickening."

Bull's experience is hardly unique. Hospitals owned by Community Health Systems, Inc., one of America's largest hospital chains, have filed at least 19,000 lawsuits against their patients over allegedly unpaid medical bills since March 2020, even as other hospitals around the country have moved to curtail similar lawsuits during the coronavirus pandemic, a CNN investigation found.

...................rest of article at link above...................................................

[dalton99a]

1. Bloodsucking assholes. Stay away from their hospitals if you can:

https://www.chs.net/company-overview/leadership/

https://www.chs.net/serving-communities/locations/#USMap

CHS in 2020 enjoyed its most profitable year in at least a decade, even as it was suing patients during the pandemic. The company made $511 million in net income last year, a big swing after four straight years of annual losses. That strong financial result led to the company's top executives earning millions of dollars worth of bonuses, according to documents it has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

One reason for the success: CHS has been buoyed by taxpayer support. It received $705 million in pandemic-related aid from the federal government's CARES Act and other state and local programs in 2020, not including additional government loans it will have to pay back, according to its 2021 annual report to shareholders.

[bem6207]

2. Merit Health as well...

I receive service of process for the state, and majority come to us in error, and have seen lots of garnishments and summons from Merit Health. They hired Mendelson Law Firm to do the dirty work. A friend of mine received as well for $124 her bill was due December of last year, and she did call for a bill.

They discharged her with someone else's paperwork, and she called to request a statement in the mail and never received, yes, it is her responsibility to get the bill paid, but this was DECEMBER and now she has a summons, the law firm said she could pay it before the hearing, and they would just add on the filing fees since she is admitting fault. Ugh. Vultures

[area51]

3. There would be no more medical debt

with Medicare for All. Just saying.

[appalachiablue]

4. Don't get me started and riled up...

[Stuart G]

5. Lyndon Johnson, with "Medicare" saved my financial life..(& probably my real life too)

...I am old enough to know and have been on "Medicare" for a number of years....Those years have been
the most expensive medically that I have ever had. Lots of reasons and lots of medical problems. If I had
all the bills for all those problems..(yes serious)..I would have found a way to end the show. The show
goes on, and I am very lucky to be able say that.. I am lucky to be alive.

[appalachiablue]

6. Thank god for LBJ and Medicare and

Tommy Douglas of Canada too. In terms of medicine and a few other matters that was a better era- the 1960s, rather than what we've endured since the 80s. It has to change.

Glad you're doing well thanks to Medicare services and your own perseverance. The wingers of course have wanted to abolish Medicare and Medicaid completely to rake in even more for the private sector. When does the greed stop! Take care and stay well.

PS I just learned that a friend had a stroke, too young for Medicare/SS and having a hell time. Just now I'm working on trying to get them some alternative help..