Indiana Senate Bill 005 amends Indiana’s Hospital Lien Statute. At its core, the law remains the same – hospitals can claim a lien against any settlement or judgment that a victim of a personal injury recovers from a negligent defendant. This is an important right for hospitals, because it helps them ensure payment of their outstanding hospital bills. But the recent amendments could work in an injured person’s favor. Among other things, the law shortens the time a hospital can assert its lien from 180 days to 90 days, and it also states that no lien can be claimed against a settlement or judgment if the person who was injured is a Medicare or Medicaid recipient and the hospital seeks payment from the Medicare or Medicaid program. The first is important because it requires hospitals to be more diligent about perfecting their liens. The second is important because it prohibits a hospital from collecting against your settlement if it asks Medicare to pay first.
If you receive Medicare and have been hurt because of someone’s negligence, contact Evansville personal injury attorney Charles Hewins for a free consultation.
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