The SD
Supreme Court handed down one decision this morning, holding inter alia:
1) Yankton County prevails in
dispute with Avera Hospital relating to medical care costs for patients at
HSC.
Summary
follows:
SACRED HEART
HEALTH SERVICES v. YANKTON COUNTY, 2020 S.D. 64: This history and result on appeal in this
dispute is summarized in ¶1 of the opinion:
[¶1.]
Sacred Heart Health Services, Inc., d/b/a Avera Sacred Heart Hospital
(Hospital), filed a declaratory judgment action against Yankton County (County)
seeking a declaration of the County’s liability and reimbursement for charges
for the medical care and treatment of patients subject to an emergency hold,
under SDCL chapter 27A-10. The parties filed cross-motions for summary
judgment. The circuit court entered a memorandum decision in favor of the
Hospital. The County objected and filed a motion to reconsider. After a second
hearing on the motions for summary judgment, the circuit court issued a second
memorandum decision in favor of the County and entered a corresponding order
and judgment. The Hospital appeals. We affirm.
The hospital’s
choice of declaratory judgment and theory of quantum meruit failed. The concluding paragraph of the opinion
provides the legal basis for this result:
The
circuit court did not err in holding SDCL chapter 28-13 is the proper mechanism
for the Hospital to obtain reimbursement from the County for medical costs
associated with the twenty-three patients in the involuntary commitment
process.
This decision is unanimous, 5-0, with opinion authored by
Chief Justice Gilbertson. Circuit Judge
Myren sat on this case, in lieu of Justice Salter.
This decision may be accessed at
http://ujs.sd.gov/Supreme_Court/opinions.aspx .
