Who pays for involuntary psychiatric hold (aka 5150, Baker Act, sectioning, etc)? Let’s say Bob is placed on a 72 hour old; does the bill go to his health insurance? What if he has no insurance; does he need to pay out of his own pocket? Does the hospital get reimbursed by the state or just write it off? Does it matter if after observation the staff determine he didn’t warrant involuntary commitment?
Generally the patient pays for all medical treatment, even if they did not consent to it. (Say, for example, you are in a auto accident and are lying unconscious when the medics arrive. They send you off the the hospital, and you (or your insurance) gets the bill for that.)
Psychiatric treatment (voluntary or involuntary) is medical treatment, and so is normally billed to the patient.
There is an exception in some stated for legally ordered commitment to psychiatric, chemical abuse, or similar programs. If a judge commits you, the state pays for it.
Would an involuntary physician (or psychiatrist)-ordered commitment fall in that category?
Not here in Minnesota. Only a formal commitment hearing held in Court in front of a Judge counts.
Does a physician have legal authority to order someone committed involuntary? I thought that took judicial action.
Here in Cali at least, shrinks, ER docs, and maybe certain other MDs can throw you in for a 72-hour observation. I think that’s what a 5150 is.
My neighbor worked at a State Mental Hospital in Illinois and she said they bill everyone voluntary or not. She said, the homeless or whatever are then put in a special category and the hospital can apply for aid for them and they get a social worker to fill out forms for them so the hospital can collect.
The people that have insurance have to submit the hospital bill to their insurance. If that won’t pay it’s handled like any other payment dispute. Sometimes the hospital takes less as payment, sometimes they put it on your credit report as a bad debt
In California, if you’re admitted by a doctor, there’s a small fee around $50-60, which is paid by your insurance if you have one. You can claim indigance. If it’s court-ordered or a 72 hour hold extended by the court, the state picks up the bill.
It is pretty reasonable to assume that a person unconscious from a traffic accident would want medical treatment.
For these 72 hour involuntary deals, they have been getting out of hand in Florida lately. Some young idiot kid tells his girlfriend that he wouldn’t want to live if she left him, and she calls the cops and he goes to the booby hatch for an extended weekend.
And then he gets the bill?!? I can’t see how that would hold up. Well, on second thought I can. Domestic relations laws keep getting crazier and crazier…
Has anyone received any good answers or done any successful research?
I’m wondering if there’s a way to get the state or someone to pick up the bill in WI
As a health insurance company employee in Minnesota I can confirm this.
I was baker acted for 20 hours back in July 2016. I just received a bill from the hospital in the amount of $5.504.92. I am indigent. Do I have to pay the hospital? I do not have the money. Any thoughts or help would be appreciated.
Thank you,
YianniP
Talk to the hospital’s financial services department. They can help you work out a payment plan or tell you how to apply for assistance to help you pay it.
Thank you for your reply.
I believe there is a section in the Baker Act for INDIGENT patients and people bellow the Federal poverty level.
Do I still have to pay if I am an indigent?
Thank you,
YianniP