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Two uninsured patients have sued the Indianapolis-based Clarian Health hospital system, saying it charges too much for services
not covered by health insurance.
The lawsuit filed this week in Marion Superior Court claims Clarian Health charges uninsured patients—or those receiving
treatments not covered by their insurance—unreasonably high prices.
Abby Allen's bill from Clarian was about $15,600 for a June 2008 hospital stay. Had her treatments been covered by insurance,
the lawsuit claims Clarian would have accepted payment of about $7,300.
"They never said anything about what the charges were going to be," said Allen, 21, of Hendricks County, who had
been suffering pain from an infection. "We got the bill and it was just like, 'Oh my gosh, I have a huge medical
bill.'"
Clarian said in a statement that the hospital system was reviewing the complaint and planned to investigate the allegations.
Clarian also said it plans to fight the lawsuit and respond to it in court.
Walter Moore, the other plaintiff in the case, was uninsured in May 2009 when he received treatment after an auto accident.
According to the suit, Moore, who lives in Marion County, was billed $1,138.
Clarian said it offers a financial-assistance program for patients without insurance or with low incomes. In 2009, it said
it spent more than $376 million on patients who received free or discounted care.
Hospitals typically start with a set price, and health insurers negotiate discounts off that rate. The discounts can be substantial
depending on the volume of patients an insurer brings to a particular hospital.
The lawsuit claims patients like Allen can't negotiate reduced prices. The suit seeks class action status in an effort
to represent all of Clarian's uninsured patients.
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