February 7, 2008
Hospitals: Our mistake, the bill's on us
The Maine Hospital Association has adopted a voluntary policy that member hospitals in the state will not charge patients for serious medical mistakes that could have been avoided.
Under the new policy, which the MHA board of directors adopted last week, hospitals would not bill patients or insurers for committing a list of 28 preventable errors that include operating on the wrong body part or administering the wrong drug with fatal consequences, The Ellsworth American reported. The policy is voluntary, meaning that hospitals are not required to abide by it, but more than half of the state's hospitals are represented on the board and adopted it.
Rep. Patsy Crockett (D-Augusta) has submitted a bill that would turn the error policy into law.
Under the new policy, which the MHA board of directors adopted last week, hospitals would not bill patients or insurers for committing a list of 28 preventable errors that include operating on the wrong body part or administering the wrong drug with fatal consequences, The Ellsworth American reported. The policy is voluntary, meaning that hospitals are not required to abide by it, but more than half of the state's hospitals are represented on the board and adopted it.
Rep. Patsy Crockett (D-Augusta) has submitted a bill that would turn the error policy into law.
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