Hospital Shenanigans: Know Your Rights
By Scott O’Sullivan
O’Sullivan Law Firm
Please read this article before you get on your
motorcycle again! If you get in an accident and end up
in the hospital, you need this information. Hospitals are
playing games with insurance and it could impact your
life deeply. (In fact, make sure you pass this information
on to your friends and family.)
Here’s what’s happening, and this scenario is playing
out all over Colorado right now:
Victims of auto accidents and motorcycle accidents
are entering emergency rooms and trying to supply the
hospital with their health insurance information to cover
their bills. Hospitals are saying (in a nutshell): “Oh, you
shouldn’t have to pay for this. You were the victim. Give
us the other driver’s insurance information and we will
bill them instead.”
Sounds so nice, right? But hospitals can’t do anything
with the other driver’s insurance. Nothing. Nada.
Here’s what they’re really doing: They are avoiding
billing until the victims settle their lawsuits and the
hospitals then get their fees paid out of the settlement.
It’s complicated, but here’s why they are doing this:
❱❱
Hospitals have agreements with health
insurance providers that allow them to be paid
only a percentage of a full bill, usually .50 or .60
cents on the dollar.
❱❱
Hospitals are instead trying to forego billing and
then they put a lien on any settlement that the
victim receives as a resul