Case Study:
"Community Hospital"
In January 2008, Susan Cromartie was admitted to Community Hospital's emergency room for treatment of an acute kidney stone. On admission, Susan gave the hospital her name and address and then was rushed to treatment. She was released 8 hours later. The hospital sent Susan a bill ($15,000, using the hospital's "customary charges") and tried to contact her a half-dozen times over the next 3 months regarding payment, but Susan never responded. At the end of three months, the hospital turned Susan's account over to a debt collection agency. That agency tracked down Susan, and found that she was unemployed and behind in her rent on a small apartment. The debt collection agency advised the hospital that the emergency room bill was uncollectible under the circumstances, and the hospital's accounting department wrote off the bill. The cost of Susan's services to the hospital (using an average cost methodology, including overhead) was $8000.
"Do you think the hospital provided â??charity careâ? to Susan? If so, in what amount and how does this affect the free market?"
Q1. Explanation of the relationship between charity care and Susan.
Q2. Analysis of the amount of care provided to Susan and the impact on the free market(If any).
Your answer must be typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman font (size 12), one-inch margins on all sides, APA format.