Yakima Regional Medical and Cardiac Center was sued in 2013 over its charity care practices. In the intervening years, lawyers for the plaintiffs have presented evidence alleging that the hospital (along with Toppenish Community Hospital, both now owned by Community Health Systems) deliberately sought to turn poor people away from its doors and made no effort to provide financial relief for indigent patients.

–(July 2016) The hits keep coming as the Superior Court judge finds Regional also violated the state Consumer Protection Act through its charity care practices, which means plaintiffs could be eligible for triple damages: http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/judge-finds-regional-toppenish-hospitals-violated-consumer-protection-act-on/article_21459f38-4d0f-11e6-a8b0-67526764c546.html

–(Dec. 2015) In major blow, Superior Court judge confirms that Regional violated the state Charity Care Act in its practices: http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/crime_and_courts/judge-deals-major-blow-to-yakima-regional-hospital-in-charity/article_159814fa-a624-11e5-ad30-ef074744b278.html

–Dramatic documents shared in 2015 reveal that Regional offered rewards for employees who squeezed more money out of indigent patients: http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/documents-reveal-regional-s-past-tough-stance-on-charity-care/article_f1a622fc-6803-11e5-8d5e-f76185909e77.html

–Patients alerted of potential inclusion in class suit: http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/charity-care-lawsuit-against-yakima-valley-hospitals-moving-through-courts/article_d923cf5a-6343-11e5-a1e8-53d3e23e3544.html

–Suit first filed in 2013: http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/lawsuit-claims-yakima-regional-is-neglecting-charity-care/article_01e6dcdb-25ee-5849-ae2c-cdd934e511cb.html