BETHESDA, Md. - The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) reached a $2.25 million settlement agreement with the state over notices provided to patients about hospital fees, Attorney General Anthony Brown announced Friday.
What we know:
The settlement resolves concerns raised by the AG’s Consumer Protection Division about fees charged before July 1, 2021, when Maryland’s Facility Fee Right-to-Know Act took effect. The measure established specific notice standards for those outpatient facility fees.
According to the AG’s office, consumers were not properly informed that they would be billed for facility fees when they received care.
UMMS denied the allegations that patients were inadequately informed, but agreed to pay $2,251,781.52 in restitution to impacted patients.
Who is eligible?
The money will go to patients who paid out-of-pocket for facility fees charged by certain UMMS hospital clinics before July 1, 2021, under the following circumstances:
- The patient received the services at a UMMS hospital clinic before the Facility Fee Right-to-Know Act took effect.
- The same clinic services were available at a non-hospital facility that was owned or operated by a UMMS affiliate where the patient would not have been required to pay a facility fee.
Eligible patients can expect to get a refund check directly from UMMS within the next six months.
For additional information, contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 410-576-6456 or claims@oag.maryland.gov.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Maryland Attorney General's Office.