Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating whether Illinois hospitals and their debt collection companies have pursued patients for unpaid medical bills without following state laws governing financial assistance and collection lawsuits.
Under the Illinois Fair Patient Billing Act, hospitals must follow specific procedures before taking collection action against patients. These include screening uninsured patients for financial assistance, providing opportunities to dispute inaccurate bills, and offering reasonable payment arrangements. Hospitals must also provide eligible patients an opportunity to apply for financial assistance before pursuing collection activity.
Illinois law also prohibits collection agencies, law firms, and other individuals from initiating legal action over unpaid hospital bills without written approval from an authorized hospital employee who reasonably believes that the statutory requirements for pursuing collection have been satisfied.
What Consumers May Have Experienced:
- Being sued by a hospital or collection law firm over an unpaid medical bill;
- Receiving collection demands without being screened for financial assistance;
- Being pursued for the full amount of a medical bill despite potentially qualifying for discounted or free care;
- Being denied an opportunity to dispute inaccurate hospital charges;
- Being sent to collections without being offered a reasonable payment arrangement;
- Receiving collection communications from a third-party agency without information about available financial assistance.
Potential Claims May Include:
- Violations of the Illinois Fair Patient Billing Act;
- Failure to screen uninsured patients for available financial assistance;
- Filing collection lawsuits without the required written hospital authorization;
- Failure to offer applicable payment arrangements or financial assistance;
- Improper collection of amounts owed by patients who qualify for free hospital care;
- FDCPA violations by third-party debt collectors, where applicable;
- Unfair or deceptive collection practices, if supported by the facts.
Signs You May Be Affected:
- An Illinois hospital or collection law firm sued you over an unpaid hospital bill;
- You were uninsured when you received treatment and were not screened for financial assistance;
- You were never offered a reasonable payment arrangement;
- You received collection demands despite potentially qualifying for financial assistance;
- You believe a collection lawsuit was filed without proper hospital review or authorization;
- You were charged for hospital services despite qualifying for free or discounted care.
If an Illinois hospital or collection law firm sued you over an unpaid medical bill, failed to screen you for financial assistance, or pursued collection without providing required payment arrangements or financial assistance information, 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.