Florida Legal Services and the National Health Law Program, both nonprofits that offer legal help to the indigent, have filed complaints with HHS and the Internal Revenue Services alleging Miami-based Jackson Health System isn't meeting charity care requirements, according to a Miami Herald report.
The groups claim nonprofit Jackson has failed to publicize its charity care program, as required under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Additionally, the complaints allege the health system creates barriers to eligibility, such as "unduly burdensome verification requirements," in addition to using harsh debt collection practices with uninsured patients without informing them about potential financial assistance, according to the report. Furthermore, the complaints claim Jackson hasn't produced the required community health needs assessment.
Mark Knight, Jackson's CFO, told the Herald the health system is not denying care to low-income patients, and that the system requests notarized affidavits concerning financial support from friends and relatives as a requirement for charity care to protect taxpayer money. Miriam Harmatz, a health law attorney with Florida Legal Services, said the notarized affidavits, which cost $25 per page, constitute excessive documentation, since they aren't required to prove eligibility for Medicaid or subsidized health plans sold under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, according to the report.
Additionally, Mr. Knight said the health system aggressively screens uninsured patients for coverage and has gotten more than 22,000 previously uninsured patients signed up for Medicaid so far this year. In response to the allegations about Jackson failing to publicize its charity care program by not making the information available online, in emergency rooms or in debt collection letters, Mr. Knight told the Herald the information is available by request and that the system is looking to put it online.