No one ever wants to have to visit the hospital or the emergency room, but it is something that all of us may unexpectedly have to do at some point in our lives. We rely on hospitals to help in an emergency, to make us better when we are ill, and perhaps even save our lives. These services are important and necessary, but that doesn’t give hospitals the right to overcharge so they can help improve their bottom line.
Unfortunately, many Texans have experienced these unfair and unjust overcharges by local hospitals and emergency rooms, being sent exorbitant bills for sometimes very simple visits or procedures. Most often, these individuals are uninsured and have been sent bills that are two to four times more expensive than the same services sent to insured patients.
More often than not, these individuals who have been overcharged are those who are least able to afford to pay these bills, forcing many into financial ruin or having their unpaid bill sent into collections.
In some instances, a hospital lien is filed against patients as soon as they leave an emergency room, often after they have received a battery of unnecessary tests or exams which had nothing to do with the accident at hand. These liens are most frequently filed following car wrecks or other personal injury accidents where the patient may be able to seek legal action against the at-fault party in order to receive compensation in the form of a settlement. The lien entitles the hospital to any proceeds that may be recovered from a lawsuit against a third-party, which is the impetus for the overtreatment in the first place, in order to receive a larger share of any settlement amount.
It is, however, against the law for hospitals to charge excessive or unreasonable rates, something which is determined by looking at the cost of similar treatment, tests, or exams within the same geographic area.
These hospital liens were designed to help hospitals recover necessary medical expenses and to provide protection against nonpayment, however, they were not intended as a way for them to target specific patients with highly inflated prices so that they may be able to get more money out of them in the process. This practice is exploitative and unfair to those who have already been the victim of an unfortunate accident and resulting medical complications.
If you believe that you’ve been overcharged for a hospital stay or emergency room visit, then it is imperative that you speak with an experienced medical malpractice attorney in Texas, like those at Fears Nachawati. Our team has handled many of these cases and we recognize the telltale signs of exploitative overcharging and fraudulent hospital activity. It’s important to note that while Texas does have a fraudulent lien filing act meant to penalize the hospitals that file them, that hasn’t stopped the practice from occurring, and it is important that we hold them accountable. The ability to file these liens has been a strategy abused by hospitals, emergency rooms, doctors, and medical clinics for too many years.
No one likes to find out they are being overcharged for anything, but being overcharged by our medical professionals feels all the more like an affront, as the victims of personal injury end up being victimized all over again by hospitals taking advantage of the people they are meant to help.
If you were treated in an emergency room, billed excessive charges, and the hospital filed a lien against you and any subsequent legal claim, then the lien may be fraudulent, and you should speak with an experienced Texas medical malpractice attorney like those at Fears Nachawati. For your free, no obligation legal consultation, please call our team today at (866) 705-7584 or visit one of the offices located throughout the great state of Texas, including in Houston, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, and San Antonio.handled many of these cases and we recognize the telltale signs of exploitative overcharging and fraudulent hospital activity. It’s important to note that while Texas does have a fraudulent lien filing act meant to penalize the hospitals that file them, that hasn’t stopped the practice from occurring, and it is important that we hold them accountable. The ability to file these liens has been a strategy abused by hospitals, emergency rooms, doctors, and medical clinics for too many years.
No one likes to find out they are being overcharged for anything, but being overcharged by our medical professionals feels all the more like an affront, as the victims of personal injury end up being victimized all over again by hospitals taking advantage of the people they are meant to help.
If you were treated in an emergency room, billed excessive charges, and the hospital filed a lien against you and any subsequent legal claim, then the lien may be fraudulent, and you should speak with an experienced Texas medical malpractice attorney like those at Fears Nachawati. For your free, no obligation legal consultation, please call our team today at (866) 705-7584 or visit one of the offices located throughout the great state of Texas, including in Houston, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, and San Antonio.