Ohio Hospitals Can’t Recoup Fees For Indigents

WASHINGTON (CN) - Twenty-five Ohio hospitals are not entitled to reimbursement of Medicare costs in order to treat low-income patients under Medicaid, the D.C. Circuit ruled.

Adena Regional Medical Center and other hospitals sued Michael Leavitt, the Ohio Secretary of Health and Human Services, seeking to recoup money for medical services for indigent Ohioans under the Ohio Hospital Care Assurance Program.

Judge Ginsburg reversed a ruling for the hospitals, saying the program's "provision that requires hospitals to care for indigent patients is not part of the state plan approved under Medicaid."

Also, the indigent patients are not eligible for medical assistance under the Social Security Act, the court concluded.

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