Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion ( 1979 )

The Attorney General of Texas July 26, 1979 MARKWHITE AltomoyQenml ztlz2z” *Honorable Jerry Cobb District & County Attorney Opinion No. W-33 Au4on TX. mtr P. 0. Box 719 Bet Whether a county is ra@8d 51W75-2501 Denton, Texas 76201 to pay hoqdtal billa of indigamt r=z at .a joint cityeounty m-,w*a Dules. TX.mw mnaw Dear Mr. c&b: You have .add if Dentoh County ls reqondble lor’hospftal care fumiahd to the reddent indigent& - commiEdoner# aourt haa bean tied by the City of Denton to pay the @ensea of to Mated at tha joint city-county hwpN.al organhd pupuant to utiale 7 494I-l, V.T.CS. ‘Iheee Iv mu4hwwmo not a ho@tal dbtrict in the county. tIcdam. TX.Tmo2 7lwzm5tol By statute tha commissioners aourt of eaah ctity b required to q&wida Ia the slpport of paupers . . ..~ddsntrOfth&COUll~.WhOUW tht b neasruy to bodily health and oomfort, and eqo&lly doe8 it ineMa propa ceru, rttentlan and treatment during riakn.“i Under tikh 9991 ‘gin murt provlds neeew ma&al aara for itv indigenth Attommy ‘gp lniau Ii-70s 0975); C-999 0-W (1964h S-la6 .Ws4); woumnM.(U(*(00 Attorney Oenual Opinion V-909 (1949) jhoapltal aid to the mt dek9 &a AIll*. Tn. 7uDi WUY55-41*1 paid from the oounty’r general fUn& V.T.C.S. art. 4498, (oommlrdonen aaurt dull pewMa for #ending lndlgent dak to. lu eatablkhad publlc horpftal In the aounty). & art. 4487, V.T.C.S.T aare and treatment d indigent patient admltted to county hoqltal hall ba a Margo upon the oountfl. Than ore, however, pracedurer b whtah a bounty” may oantraat wfth a aity to aaume or tire oxpenaar 1or ‘the troatmont of ind@ntr V.T.C.6. ut. 4494i-L It b our opinion that the Caunty ol Denton & Uabb fu the m Incurred iCtmatJng an hdlgont rddent of the oaunty at the Joint altY-county hemphaL p. 99 . . Honorable Jerry Cobb - Page Two (Mw-33) Thus, absent IXvalid contractual arrangement under section S of article 44941-1, V.T.C.S., it is our opiniar that the County of Denton b liable for the expenses incurred In treating an indigent resident of the county at the joint city-counly hospital. SUMMARY Absent valid contractual arrangements Denton County is liable for the medical expenses incurred in the treatment of the county’s resident indigents at the city-county hcqital. vm-w&& MARK WHITE Attorney General of Texas JOHN W. PAINTER, JR. Pint Assistant Attorney General TED L. HARTLEY Executive Assistant Attorney General Prepared by David 8. Brooks Asdrtant Attorney General APPROVED: OPINIONCOMMITTEE C. Robert Heath, Chairman James P. Allison David B. Brooks Walter Davis Susan Garrison Risk Gilpln William G Reid Bruce Youngblood p. 100