The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Uninsured win $150 million pact"

          A large Mississippi-based hospital system announced Thursday that it reached a landmark agreement, valued at up to $150 million, with a group of attorneys to provide free and discounted care for patients without health insurance. The agreement could put pressure on at least 40 other nonprofit hospital systems, including seven in Georgia, which have been sued for allegedly overcharging uninsured patients and then aggressively seeking payment.
          The plaintiffs' attorney group, led by Richard Scruggs of Mississippi, has accused these hospitals of breaching their charitable obligations in their financial dealings with the uninsured. North Mississippi Health Services said Thursday it agreed to the new billing practices for the uninsured to avoid protracted litigation.
          John Heer, chief executive of NMHS, said in a statement that his organization did not want to get "tangled up in a lawsuit," which he said would distract the system from addressing other important issues. "After reviewing the proposed settlement, there seemed to be little reason to pursue lengthy litigation of the issue since the proposed discounts were very reasonable," Heer said.
          Under terms of the Mississippi agreement, which will begin October 1st:

• Anyone who is uninsured with household income of up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level (about $37,000 for a family of four) will receive free medical care.
• The uninsured with household income of up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level (up to about $74,000 for a family of four) would receive discounted rates for care.
• Overall, uninsured people would face collections of no more than 10 percent of their income per year.
  
            As part of the settlement, the Mississippi health system agreed to refund any amounts paid by uninsured patients who received services over the past three years and who would have qualified for discounts or free care under the revised policy. NMHS has also agreed to halt aggressive bill-collection techniques. The settlement, filed along with a related lawsuit Thursday, is subject to approval by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi.