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hospital bill that staff said (falsely) the state would pay

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agc1800

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Massachusetts

A friend visiting from Mexico became seriously ill, so we went to the emergency room. After he was stabilized, the doctors insisted he stay overnight for monitoring. We told them he had no insurance, was not a US citizen, and did not live in the US. (We had also told them all of this when we first got to the emergency room.)

They assured us MassHealth would cover the bill, so he agreed to stay. They were wrong about that, and are now telling him he owes $12,000. We asked to speak with a social worker at the hospital to confirm the payment situation before he was admitted, who did not appear until just before he was discharged, and who also said it wouldn't be a problem, and that the business office would contact him in Mexico with the forms to fill out verifying his low income for the Mass benefits.

The doctors and nurses also failed to communicate with him in Spanish or provide a translator throughout the stay, although it was clear his English was very limited. This is a non-profit teaching hospital in Massachusetts.

There's no chance he can pay the bill. What can they do to him, and what kind of legal help does he need? He still lives in Mexico.
 


ecmst12

Senior Member
What can they do to him as long as he's in Mexico? Very, very little.

Did he ever fill out the required forms?
 

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