San Francisco Chronicle, "Catholic Healthcare West agrees to refund uninsured patients"

          Catholic Healthcare West said Wednesday that it will provide full or partial refunds of hospital charges to tens of thousands of former patients in California, Arizona and Nevada to settle a lawsuit that accused the nonprofit company of overcharging the uninsured.
          The suit was filed in San Francisco Superior Court last year by two former patients who alleged that Catholic Healthcare West charged excessive and unfair amounts to the small percentage of its patients who were not covered by Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance, and then set aggressive collection agencies on them when they couldn't pay.
          Catholic Healthcare West, which is based in San Francisco, operates 41 hospitals in the three states, including St. Francis Memorial Hospital and St. Mary's Medical Center in San Francisco. According to the settlement, the company would pay full or partial refunds to patients treated since July 1, 2001, depending on their income.
          The settlement requires a judge's approval. Kelly Dermody, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said it would be worth hundreds of millions of dollars in refunds and discounts to uninsured patients.

For more information about the Catholic Healthcare West settlement, click here.