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Debate Heats Up as Hospitals Aim to Limit Free Care Services
Four California hospitals are asking state Attorney General Xavier Becerra to reduce how much free or discounted care they’re required to provide. The hospitals claim there’s less need for charity care because the share of Californians without insurance has dropped significantly under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), from 17 percent to 6.8 percent last year. Health consumer advocates argue that the need for free or discounted care is still just as significant, if not growing. “Our folks are already stretched, and they’re stretched far,” said Dockter, who works with Central California Legal Services. Patients are treated as if they “just went out and bought a big-screen TV and need to pay for it,” when in fact they may qualify for free or reduced care, she said.
