Florida Medicaid Patient Owes $77,000 After Heart Attack in South Dakota

Hans Wirt, a Florida resident covered by Medicaid, suffered a heart attack while visiting family in Rapid City, South Dakota, and was treated at Monument Health, the only hospital with an emergency room in the area. Despite his Medicaid coverage, the South Dakota hospital refused to bill his out-of-state Medicaid plan, instead sending Wirt a $77,574.44 bill after hospital adjustments. The hospital used various treatments including a defibrillator, medications, diagnostic devices, and stents, with charges totaling over $95,000 before adjustments. Although Monument Health has a charity care program and evaluates patients for financial assistance, Wirt said he was never informed about it and was only offered a payment plan he could not afford. This case highlights the challenges Medicaid patients face when receiving care out of state, as some hospitals do not submit bills to out-of-state Medicaid plans, risking patients being stuck with large medical debts. Experts note that hospitals generally bill Medicaid plans to avoid non-payment, but in this case, the refusal led to significant financial burden and collection threats for Wirt.