Opinion ID: 1637371
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Filing of Statement of Costs

Text: St. Paul Ramsey County Medical Center (Medical Center), bases its claim for reimbursement upon the provisions of SDCL §§ 28-13-33 and -34, [1] the so called emergency provisions for poor relief. It is undisputed that Medical Center complied with the fifteen day notice requirement in accordance with the statute. However, a key provision under this comprehensive scheme for poor relief is SDCL 28-13-28 which provides in full: Statement of costs required of hospital caring for indigent personsFrequency of statements. No hospital may avail itself of the provisions of §§ 28-13-27 to 28-13-36, inclusive, as to hospitalization of any indigent person unless such hospital has, at least thirty days prior to such hospitalization, filed with the secretary of health a detailed statement, in such form as the secretary of health shall prescribe, computing and showing the actual cost to such hospital of quarters, board and hospital services furnished to patients, with each item of such cost shown. The statement shall be filed with the secretary of health at least once in every year, but such hospital may file such detailed statement as often as once in every six months. (emphasis added) By its own terms this statute encompasses the so called emergency statutes upon which the Medical Center relies. Obviously SDCL §§ 28-13-33 and -34 fall within the provisions of SDCL §§ 28-13-27 to -36. Moreover, the language of SDCL 28-13-33 expressly states that it is subject to the provisions of §§ 28-13-28 to 28-13-32, inclusive. Accordingly, before any hospital is entitled to reimbursement for the provisions of emergency medical services to indigents that hospital must file the statement of actual costs required by SDCL 28-13-28. Inasmuch as Medical Center failed to do so, it is not now entitled to any recovery. This interpretation is supported by legislative history and a South Dakota Attorney General's opinion. Statutes now codified at SDCL §§ 28-13-27 to -36 were initially enacted in 1953 as part of Senate Bill No. 61. See: 1953 S.D.Sess.Laws 131. That legislation was limited by its title to the hospitalization of indigent persons in emergency situations. This court may refer to that title in an effort to interpret the statute at issue. McDonald v. School Board of Yankton, 90 S.D. 599, 246 N.W.2d 93, 96 (1976); Elfring v. Paterson, 66 S.D. 458, 285 N.W. 443, 445 (1939). The title or heading of a statute may not be used to lessen or expand the meaning of the statute. Olson v. City of Sioux Falls, 63 S.D. 563, 262 N.W. 85, 86 (1935). Here, resort to the title merely further supports the Counties' position that the entire statutory scheme must be applied rather than selected statutes alone. Based on a review of the legislative history and the bill's title, any suggestion that the South Dakota Legislature did not intend that a statement of costs be filed thirty days prior to emergency hospitalization is in error. In 1978 the South Dakota Attorney General issued an opinion dealing with the general issue now before this court. See: 78-8 Op.Att'y Gen. 281 (1978). In that opinion, then Attorney General Janklow specifically noted that the emergency aid procedures are fairly well described in §§ 28-13-27 to -36, inclusive. Id. at 283. That statement clearly suggests that a statement of actual costs as required by SDCL 28-13-28 must be filed before any hospital claims reimbursement for emergency medical services. Opinions of the Attorney General construing statutes are entitled to weight in arriving at the legislature's intention. Simpson v. Tobin, 367 N.W.2d 757, 763 (S.D.1985); Tulare Independent School District No. 36 v. Crandon School District No. 17, 47 S.D. 391, 199 N.W. 451, 452 (1924). Medical Center has advanced several equitable arguments why this court should go beyond the terms of the statute and impose liability upon the Counties. Similar arguments were made to this court in Davison County, supra . In that case, Sioux Valley Hospital sought reimbursement for extraordinary services rendered by its infant intensive care unit. Although a statement of actual costs had been filed with regard to other services, no such statement was filed concerning the nursery. 298 N.W.2d at 86. The failure to include a statement covering those services barred recovery. Id. at 87. Counties argue that implicit in the Davison County decision is the ruling that compliance with SDCL 28-13-28 is a precondition to reimbursement. We held: The failure to do so [request a form or file an amendment to the statement of costs] forecloses any attempt by Hospital to collect for such extraordinary services from County under the controlling statutes of SDCL 28-13-27 to 28-13-36. The remedy is entirely statutory. If the statutes are found to be wanting, the remedy should be addressed to the legislature. Id. Under the Davison County rationale, Counties contend that Medical Center, with one of the only sophisticated burn treatment facilities readily accessible to South Dakotans, had to file a statement of costs in compliance with SDCL 28-13-28 in anticipation of receiving indigent patients such as Levitt. Counties further contend that Medical Center's equitable arguments are best reserved for the legislature, since Medical Center's ability to recover the costs is entirely governed by statute. We agree. Therefore, inasmuch as Medical Center's remedy for repayment of costs was entirely statutory, Medical Center's failure to file a statement of costs prior to treating Levitt operated to foreclose it from any attempt to collect for such services from the Counties beyond what was provided by SDCL §§ 28-13-27 to -36, inclusive. Davison County, 298 N.W.2d at 87. This court has often held that it will not liberally construe a statute to avoid a seemingly harsh result where such action would do violence to the plain meaning of the statute under consideration. Cheney v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., 370 N.W.2d 569, 574 (S.D.1985) citing Burns v. Kurtenbach, 327 N.W.2d 636 (S.D.1982); Johnson v. Herseth, 246 N.W.2d 102 (S.D. 1976).