SB210 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Will Barfoot Senator

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Hospital liens, to limit

Description

Existing law provides that a hospital may recover its charges for treatment of a patient injured in an accident by filing a lien on any money the patient receives by settlement with, or judgment against, the person responsible for the injuries.

If an injured patient is covered by a government program such as Medicare, this bill would give hospitals the choice of either filing a claim with the program or filing a hospital lien. If the hospital files a lien, the amount of the lien would be tied to the prospective reimbursement amount of the government program, plus an additional percentage.

In the case of a patient who has no health care coverage, the hospital's lien amount would be capped at the prospective amount that would be reimbursed by Medicare, plus an additional percentage.

A hospital that files a lien may also choose to adjust the amount of its claim, based upon the length of time it takes to receive payment.

This bill would cap the amount a hospital may recover for treatment from the insurance of a third party that is liable for the injury when the amount claimed exceeds the policy limits.

This bill would permit a patient to obtain a SB210 INTRODUCED copy of his or her medical records and an itemized statement of the charges that support the amount claimed by the hospital in a lien.

This bill would also make nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing code language to current style.

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Subjects

Civil Procedure