Community Grievance Decision Digest

Cost of Care, Right to be Informed of

The decision summaries regarding this law may be found in the document:
  Community Grievance Decision Digest: Decisions. (PDF, 512KB)  

THE LAW:

Each patient shall... 

“1. Have the right to be informed in writing, before, upon or at a reasonable time after admission, of any liability that the patient or any of the patient's relatives may have for the cost of the patient's care and treatment and of the right to receive information about charges for care and treatment services.

2.If the patient is a minor, if the parents may be liable for the cost of the patient's care and treatment and if the patient's parents can be located with reasonable effort, the treatment facility or community mental health program shall notify the patient's parents of any liability that the parents may have for the cost of the patient's care and treatment and their right to receive information under subd. 3, except that a minor patient's parents may not be notified under this subdivision if the minor patient is receiving care under s. 51.47 without the consent of the minor's parent or guardian.

3.A patient, a patient's relative who may be liable for the cost of the patient's care and treatment or a patient's guardian may request information about charges for care and treatment services at the treatment facility or community mental health program. If a treatment facility or community mental health program receives such a request, the treatment facility or >community mental health program shall promptly provide to the individual making the request written information about the treatment facility's charges for care and treatment services.> Unless the request is made by the patient, the guardian of a patient adjudged incompetent under ch. 880, the parent or guardian of a minor who has access to the minor's treatment records under s. 51.(30)(5)(b)1 or a person designated by the patient's informed written consent under s. 51.30(4)(a) as a person to whom information may be disclosed, information released under this subdivision is limited to general information about the treatment facility's charges for care and treatment services and may not include information which may not be disclosed under s. 51.30.”

ss.51.61(1)(w), Wis. Stats. [Emphasis added.]

“Before, upon or at a reasonable time after admission, a patient shall be informed in writing, as required by s. 51.61(1)(w), Stats., of any liability that the patient or any of the patient’s relatives may have for the cost of the patient’s care and treatment and of the right to receive information about charges for care and treatment services.”

DHS 94.04(2), Wis. Admin. Code [Emphasis added.]

[NOTE:  Subsection 51.61(1)(w) was added to the statute in 1995 and DHS 94 was amended in 1996 to reflect the right to be informed of costs of care.]

Last Updated: November 10, 2009