Government Healthcare Policy, Business and Technology

Should hospitals be able to grab your tax refund if they say you owe them money?

The Atlanta Journal Constitution: A Georgia lawmaker wants to allow many of the state’s hospitals to tap into pending tax refunds to cover unpaid hospital bills.

House bill 81 would allow Georgia hospitals that are owned by public hospital authorities to get outstanding medical debts paid by deducting the money owed from a pending state tax refund. The bill would include authority-owned facilities that are operated by non-profit organizations, which is the case with many hospitals in Georgia.

Rep. Tom McCall, R-Elberton, said it would allow struggling hospitals an avenue to collect money they have not been able to get through billing or collection proceedings. He said he was thinking especially of the state’s small hospitals, many of which are struggling to stay afloat.

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