Ms. McHugh found that neither the local ordinance nor Florida Legislature laws created a contract between the hospitals and the county. According to The Sun, an appeal is likely.
In 1959, Florida amended a special act and made it mandatory for Sarasota County to reimburse its public hospital district for care of indigent patients. The act also mentioned reimbursement to any other hospital that provides care to the indigent, which was the source of the three private hospitals’ argument. The county enacted a local ordinance in 1972 that removed the mandatory language.
“There would be no reason the County would want to enter into a contract for services the Private Hospitals were already providing, and, by 2000, were required to do by other state and federal laws,” Ms. McHugh wrote. “Likewise, it would be illogical for the County to enter into an open-ended contract to potentially pay hundreds of millions of dollars when its other indigent care ordinances carefully restrain and oversee such expenditures.”
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.
