Past hospital bill

[obo01]

Jurisdiction

Illinois

Would small claims against work against a hospital for their fraudulent billing practices?



I was billed for a Medicaid insurance that the state paid but the hospital kept billing me for over $10. I complained to the state, etc, eventually called the hospital billing department to resolve. I didn't get a definite answer if they will stop billing. But so far no bills. They were going to send to collections. An Avvo attorney said likely the hospital is committing fraud for billing me where there is $0 co pays.

 

[zddoodah]

As best as I can understand what you wrote, you received medical services from a hospital. The hospital received partial or full payment through Medicaid but also billed you for some unstated amount over $10. Those bills have since stopped.

What exactly would be the point of suing? You have no damages.

 

[cbg]

I can't remember the last time I saw a plan with a $0 copay and I work with health insurance every working day of my life. I'm sure there are some out there but they're few and far between.

 

[Tax Counsel]

I can't remember the last time I saw a plan with a $0 copay and I work with health insurance every working day of my life. I'm sure there are some out there but they're few and far between.

However, the OP didn't have private health insurance. The OP was covered by Medicaid, which is the joint/federal health program for low income persons. A lot of Medicaid services have no copay, and those that do are capped by federal law at very small amounts, under $10. States can charge less than the cap if they choose. Look at the Illinois Medicaid copay schedule, the maximum copay is $3.90, and lots of things are exempt from copay, as described on that page. I'd bet that none of the employees you deal with at your your exalted institution are on Medicaid — they'd make too much for that — so you'd likely not be familiar with it.

 

[cbg]

You'd be surprised how many of our dining hall workers and custodians and lab assistants and even a couple of junior faculty who have disabled children ask us to fill out their Mass Health Premium Assistance forms. But I will grant you that I don't see the SBC's of the plans Mass Health offers to know what the parameters are.