Case Information

*1 The Attorney General of Texas July 26, 1979

MARK WHITE

Altomoy Qenml * Honorable Jerry Cobb Opinion No. W-33 ztlz2z” District & County Attorney

Au4on TX. mtr P. 0. Box 719 Bet Whether a county is ra@8d 51W75-2501 to pay hoqdtal billa of indigamt Denton, Texas 76201

r=z at .a joint cityeounty m-,w*a Dules. TX. mw mnaw Dear Mr. c&b: if Dentoh County ls reqondble lor’hospftal care

You have .add 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 494I-l, V.T.CS. ‘Iheee Iv 7 not a ho@tal dbtrict in the county.

mu4hwwmo 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 lniau Ii-70s 0975); C-999 0-W (1964h S-la6 .Ws4); ‘gp Attorney Oenual Opinion V-909 (1949) jhoapltal aid to the mt dek 9 woumnM.(U(*(00 &a AIll*. Tn. 7uDi paid from the oounty’r general fUn& V.T.C.S. art. 4498, (oommlrdonen WUY55-41*1 aaurt dull pewMa for #ending lndlgent dak to. lu eatablkhad publlc horpftal In the aounty). & art. 4487, V.T.C.S. aare and treatment d T 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 or ‘the troatmont of ind@ntr 1

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

. . (Mw-33)

Honorable Jerry Cobb - Page Two Thus, absent IX valid 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:

OPINION COMMITTEE

C. Robert Heath, Chairman

James P. Allison

David B. Brooks

Walter Davis

Susan Garrison

Risk Gilpln

William G Reid

Bruce Youngblood

p. 100