Hospitals That Sue You for Getting Sick
6 hours ago
- #healthcare costs
- #insurance industry
- #medical debt lawsuits
- Hospitals in Virginia filed 1.15 million lawsuits from 2010 to 2024 to collect $1.4 billion in medical debt, along with over 400,000 wage and bank account garnishments.
- Insurers and hospitals collaborate to keep prices hidden, with high-deductible plans shifting costs to patients, leading to unaffordable bills even for the insured.
- The Affordable Care Act expanded coverage but legitimized high-deductible plans, while premiums rose 321% since 2000, far outpacing wage growth of 123%.
- Virginia's Medical Debt Protection Act capped interest at 3% and barred home foreclosures, but did not address opaque pricing and billing practices driving debt.
- Hospital monopolies, like Ballad Health in Appalachia, use lawsuits against patients in poor regions with limited healthcare choices, despite community benefit commitments.