Oregon Hospitals Break New Law By Sending Low-Income Consumers To Collection Instead Of Screening For Financial Assistance Eligibility

According to a recent evaluation, Oregon (OR) hospitals are not screening consumers for financial assistance eligibility. Instead, they are sending low-income consumers to collections, which violates Oregon's 2019 Non-Profit Hospital & Health System Community Benefit Act. This law added a safety-net requirement, mandating that all consumers at or below 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL) be screened for eligibility before their debt is referred to a debt collector or interest accrued. An estimated 44% of hospital consumers who are sued by hospitals in Oregon are likely at or below 200% FPL.

In 2021, most Oregon . . .