‘UVA has ruined us’: Health system sues thousands of patients, seizing paychecks and putting liens on homes
Zann Nelson, sued by UVA for $23,849 a few years ago, is a rare patient who fought back. The now 70-year-old Reva resident was admitted with newly diagnosed uterine cancer, bleeding and in pain when she signed an open-ended payment agreement. In court, she argued it was so vague as to be unenforceable.
She lost. The judge, according to court records, said that Nelson had “the ability to decline the surgery” if she didn’t like the terms of the deal. She lived with a lien on her farm until she managed to pay off the debt.
https://beta.washingtonpost.com/health/ ... ket-newtabNacy Sexton, who is in his 30s and lives outside Richmond, hoped he might get a break on his medical bills as a student enrolled at the University of Virginia. He was close to finishing a bachelor’s degree in 2015 when he was hospitalized for lupus. When he was unable to cover the reduced bill offered by the hospital, the university blocked his enrollment, a notice he received from student financial services shows.
“The university places enrollment holds on student accounts for many reasons, including unpaid tuition and medical bills,” said university spokesman Wesley Hester. This semester, the university has “active holds” on 20 students because of unpaid health system bills, which might or might not block their attendance, depending on when the hold was placed, he said.
Sexton still has about $4,000 to go on a bill that he said was more than $30,000 before UVA’s discount, a fundraising campaign and other payments. He hopes to re-enroll and finish his degree in education next year.
“When you get sick, why should it affect your education?” he asked.
Shirley Perry, once a registered nurse at UVA, became chronically ill, lost her job and insurance, and then needed treatment from her former employer. UVA sued her for $218,730 plus $32,809 in legal fees. She died last year at age 51, with a UVA lien on her townhouse. It was auctioned off on Aug. 7 at the Albemarle County Courthouse.
Particularly interesting to me is the judge's comment that the lady could have declined the surgery if she didn't understand the agreement or couldn't pay. What a twat! It doesn't take a great mind to understand that when it comes to health we might take the financial risks with fingers crossed hoping to not encounter heartless fucks in the aftermath.