What is the name of your state? California
About a month ago I was brought to the emergency room by the police, under my own free will for questioning. The police and the fire department then determined that there was nothing wrong and told me that I could leave. One of the staff members at the hospital told me to sign authorization for medical treatment, which I denied. I told the staff member that "I did not need treatment". I had no life-threatening condition.
The doctor at the emergency room asked me if i had taken any alcohol or drugs - I told him I didn't (which I did not). I told him I was going to leave the hospital. He then told me that I could not leave and he was placing me on a 8 hour "legal hold", to have me checked out with a psychologist. He told me it was "non-negotiable" and forced me to take a blood alcohol test, and a urine drug test - he told me "Only if I did what he said would I be allowed to leave". I told him I wasn't on alcohol or drugs again, and he just left.
At 3am the psychologist checked me out okay and I was allowed to leave. I signed discharge papers for the nurse (according to her "it was the only way I could leave"), and asked her if I was going to be billed for anything. She told me no, it'd probably be state paid since they didn't even take my insurance information.
A week later I recieved an 800$ bill for emergency room use and the two drug and urine tests. The tests make up 600$ of the bill. My question is if the hospital has any legal right to bill me, as I did not want or request the tests, and the doctor should have taken my word - he didn't bother checking my physical condition or anything else - he just simply ordered tests.
About a month ago I was brought to the emergency room by the police, under my own free will for questioning. The police and the fire department then determined that there was nothing wrong and told me that I could leave. One of the staff members at the hospital told me to sign authorization for medical treatment, which I denied. I told the staff member that "I did not need treatment". I had no life-threatening condition.
The doctor at the emergency room asked me if i had taken any alcohol or drugs - I told him I didn't (which I did not). I told him I was going to leave the hospital. He then told me that I could not leave and he was placing me on a 8 hour "legal hold", to have me checked out with a psychologist. He told me it was "non-negotiable" and forced me to take a blood alcohol test, and a urine drug test - he told me "Only if I did what he said would I be allowed to leave". I told him I wasn't on alcohol or drugs again, and he just left.
At 3am the psychologist checked me out okay and I was allowed to leave. I signed discharge papers for the nurse (according to her "it was the only way I could leave"), and asked her if I was going to be billed for anything. She told me no, it'd probably be state paid since they didn't even take my insurance information.
A week later I recieved an 800$ bill for emergency room use and the two drug and urine tests. The tests make up 600$ of the bill. My question is if the hospital has any legal right to bill me, as I did not want or request the tests, and the doctor should have taken my word - he didn't bother checking my physical condition or anything else - he just simply ordered tests.
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