Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating whether Oregon hospitals have failed to screen patients for financial assistance before sending medical bills or have charged patients for care that should have been free or discounted.
Oregon strengthened its hospital financial assistance requirements in 2024. Under the applicable requirements, hospitals must screen certain patients for potential financial assistance, including uninsured patients, patients enrolled in qualifying state medical assistance programs, and patients with outstanding hospital balances meeting the statutory threshold. Screening must occur before the hospital sends the first bill to certain eligible patients.
These requirements are intended to eliminate a common obstacle to hospital financial assistance: patients who qualify for help but never apply because they do not know the program exists. Oregon also establishes minimum financial assistance discounts for qualifying patients, including free care for eligible patients with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level and partial discounts for certain patients with higher incomes.
What Consumers May Have Experienced:
- Receiving a hospital bill without being screened for financial assistance;
- Paying a hospital bill despite potentially qualifying for free or discounted care;
- Being unaware that their insurance status or outstanding balance triggered financial assistance screening;
- Receiving an inaccurate financial assistance determination;
- Being denied additional financial assistance after an initial screening failed to account for their financial circumstances;
- Being sent to collections for amounts that should have been adjusted under applicable financial assistance requirements.
Potential Claims May Include:
- Violations of Oregon hospital financial assistance and presumptive screening requirements;
- Failure to screen eligible patients before issuing their first bill;
- Failure to apply required financial assistance discounts;
- Improper denial of financial assistance or failure to follow applicable appeal procedures;
- Improper collection of amounts that should have been adjusted under Oregon law;
- FDCPA violations by third-party collection agencies, where applicable.
Signs You May Be Affected:
- You received an Oregon hospital bill that met the applicable financial assistance screening threshold after insurance;
- You were uninsured or enrolled in a qualifying state medical assistance program when you received treatment;
- You paid a hospital bill without receiving information about financial assistance screening;
- You believe you qualified for financial assistance but did not receive a discount;
- You applied for financial assistance and were denied or received less assistance than you believe you qualified for;
- You were sent to collections for a bill that may have qualified for financial assistance.
If an Oregon hospital billed you without screening you for financial assistance, failed to apply discounts for which you may have qualified, or pursued you for medical debt that should have been reduced or forgiven, Migliaccio & Rathod LLP would like to hear from you. Please complete the contact form on this page, send us an email at [email protected], or give us a call at (202) 470-3520.