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