Latino Advocacy Group To Investigate Hospital Billing, Treatment Practices

Consejo de Latinos Unidos, a Latino advocacy group, on Monday announced plans to examine hospital charges and medical treatment for uninsured patients in the Sacramento area, the Sacramento Bee reports. As part of the effort, the group plans to run an advertising campaign on Spanish- and English-language radio stations this week to collect complaints from patients.

The group is investigating whether area hospital groups are:

• Charging uninsured patients more than health insurers are billed for services;
  
  
• Requiring substantial payments in advance of treatment; and
  
  
• Referring patients to finance companies.