Lewisville, Texas-based Adeptus Health, the largest operator of freestanding emergency rooms in the U.S., will refund up to $250,000 to an undisclosed number of patients, according to the Dallas Morning News.
Adeptus filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection April 19. Last week, a bankruptcy judge approved the company's request to make refunds to patients who it owed money to before it filed for bankruptcy. In court documents, Adeptus said it wanted to make the refunds to avoid "bad publicity."
"Unhappy patients may cause serious economic harm," wrote Adeptus in its motion, according to the Dallas Morning News.
It's not uncommon for patients to be issued refunds due to overpayment. A variety of circumstances can cause a patient to overpay at healthcare facilities, including when a provider incorrectly estimates a patient's co-pay or deductible.
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