Dentists are among the increasing number of non-hospital clinicians suing patients over medical debt in Connecticut, according to an investigation from the Connecticut Mirror and KFF.
Nine notes:
1. Although many hospitals in Connecticut have stopped suing patients over unpaid medical bills, other healthcare providers continue to do so, including dentists, physicians, ambulance companies and other clinicians.
2. CT Mirror and KFF Health News identified more than 16,000 medical debt-related lawsuits filed in Connecticut between 2019 and 2024. Hospital lawsuits made up about 75% of cases in 2019. As of 2024, lawsuits by non-hospital providers accounted for more than 80% of cases.
3. Aggressive collections activity is limited under federal law for most hospitals. Hospitals that are tax-exempt nonprofits are also required to make financial aid available to low-income patients. Other medical providers are generally exempt from these rules.
4. More than 1,000 lawsuits were filed by dental providers between 2019 and 2024, including dentists and periodontists. Physician groups made up the majority of cases filed, with more than 5,000 cases filed during this time period. The news organizations noted that the state’s more than 25,000 physicians and dentists did not sue patients for outstanding balances.
5. KFF reported that collections are mostly driven by high-deductible health plans that leave patients with bills worth thousands of dollars.
6. Critics have pointed out that medical debt collections lawsuits are typically filed over small debts that are not likely to have a large impact on practices, particularly larger medical organizations. KFF and CT Mirror found in its investigation that the majority of lawsuits filed between 2019 and 2024 were over bills worth less than $3,000.
7. Connecticut Sen. Saud Anwar said these lawsuits could negatively affect the doctor-patient relationship.
8. Connecticut is among several states that have expanded protections for patients with unpaid medical bills in recent years. For example, Connecticut now bars medical debt from consumer credit reports, while other states have restricted wage garnishments and property liens as collection tactics.
9. Sen. Matt Lesser has suggested that the state may need to do more to limit collection efforts by non-hospital providers.
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