'This is crazy': Colorado hospital giant sues patients on a daily basis, analysis finds, including some who thought they had no debt — what to do if this happens to you

Colorado hospital system lawsuits

The broadcaster's analysis comes after state legislation that went into effect in early August forced hospital systems to list their names on lawsuits seeking to collect debt owed to them. Previously, 9NEWS reported that UCHealth had for years sued patients using the names of its third-party debt collectors.

Now that it's become easier to identify the entities behind these lawsuits, 9NEWS searched court documents between Aug. 8 and Dec. 17, 2024, and says it found collections suits from the following health-care providers:

• UCHealth: 351
• Children's Hospital: 263
• National Jewish Health: 31

No other large hospital system in Colorado sued patients using its name during this period, per 9NEWS.

The broadcaster says it reached out to dozens of patients facing lawsuits, and while it cannot be confirmed how many simply didn't want to pay their bill, some claim they weren't aware they had any debt at all and only found out when they were served.

After the story was broadcast, UCHealth issued the following statement to 9NEWS: "UCHealth offers extensive financial assistance for our patients, and we ask patients to partner with us and respond to our billing teams so we can provide this help. Our billing policies require numerous notifications to patients including both letters and phone calls before an account is transferred to collections, and our collections agencies are again required to contact the patient numerous times before legal options are considered."

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What to do if you're sued by a hospital

Medical debt is a big problem throughout the United States. An analysis of census data by the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker found approximately 14 million adults owed medical bills in excess of $1,000 as of 2021, while 3 million people owed over $10,000.

If you have unpaid medical debt, the best thing to do is to be proactive about dealing with it before you find yourself facing collections activities. You may have options to get on a payment plan or limit some costs, though it may depend on where you live and what type of hospital you visit. Some hospitals are compelled by law to publicize assistance programs.

There are federal and state laws regarding what debt collectors can say and do. If things get this far, you may want to familiarize yourself with regulations in your area.

Patients who do get sued will need to respond to the complaint. If you believe you are being treated unfairly, you can consult an attorney — which comes at a cost. However, working with a lawyer can be helpful in these situations, and legal aid clinics can be a good place to find affordable legal representation to protect your rights when coping with an unexpected lawsuit based on medical issues.