A controversial new report, "Questionable Hospitals," from Public Citizen, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, says more than 500 hospitals nationwide have evaded federal laws prohibiting "patient dumping."
Public Citizen says only 85 of the hospitals have been fined for the violations by the U.S. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, says a story carried by The Philadelphia Inquirer. The violations included refusing medical screenings, inappropriately transferring patients or failing to post patients' rights.
The story, written by a Dallas Morning News reporter, says some health-care experts criticized the report, saying many errors were clerical in nature and should not be considered the same as serious violations.
Among the more serious violations reported: One-third of emergency rooms asked patients for insurance information before or during treatment. Such a request is illegal if it delays care.
For a clear guide to your rights as an emergency-room patient, check Insure.com.
