AG Bob Ferguson expands charity care lawsuit

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson is expanding his charity care lawsuit against more than a dozen Providence-affiliated hospitals to include two out-of-state debt collection agencies.

The case, filed in February, alleges 14 Providence and Providence Swedish hospitals systematically denied charity care to eligible patients, while the hospitals collected on more than $470 million in medical debt.

Last week, Ferguson's office added two debt collection agencies, Chicago-based Harris & Harris and North Carolina-based Optimum Outcomes, to the suit.

“Families live in fear that an unexpected medical emergency could result in crushing medical debt,” Ferguson said in a news release. “Collection agencies cannot deceive Washingtonians about their legal right to access medical financial assistance."

https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2022/08/15/providence-ferguson-lawsuit.html

[Haggis 4 Breakfast]

1. LOVE our AG.

[cbabe]

2. Catholic owned.

[GP6971]

3. I didn't know that Swedish

was catholic owned.

[cbabe]

4. Yep.

https://www.swedish.org › about › overview

Overview of Swedish Health Services | Swedish Medical Center Seattle ...

Swedish is affiliated with Providence Health & Services, a Catholic, not-for-profit organization founded by the Sisters of Providence in 1856. With more than 76,000 employees, Providence operates 34 hospitals and 475 physician clinics across five states.

(Local bishops make medical decisions regarding women’s health, end of life, trans and lgbtg, etc.)