And some vultures continue to circle...
One Hospital System Sued 2,500 Patients After Pandemic Hit
The largest health system in New York, led by a close ally of the governor, continues to sue over medical debt during the Covid-19 crisis, even after other big hospitals suspended lawsuits.
Medical debt lawsuits have become increasingly common in recent years. Credit...Victor J. Blue for The New York Times
When the coronavirus began spreading through New York, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo ordered state-run hospitals to
stop suing patients over unpaid medical bills, and almost all of the major private hospitals in the state voluntarily followed suit by suspending their claims.
But one chain of hospitals has plowed ahead with thousands of lawsuits: Northwell Health, which is the state’s largest health system and is run by one of Mr. Cuomo’s closest allies.
The nonprofit Northwell sued more than 2,500 patients last year, records show, a flood of litigation even as the pandemic has led to widespread job losses and economic uncertainty.
The Northwell lawsuits each sought an average of $1,700 in unpaid bills, plus large interest payments. They hit teachers, construction workers, grocery store employees and others, including some who had lost work in the pandemic or gotten sick themselves.
