When offering debt relief to patients, UVa applied some of the most restrictive eligibility guidelines of any Virginia hospital, according to the survey.

The UVA, meanwhile, highlighted how often it had approved financial aid for patients in accordance with state guidelines – nearly 10,000 in the previous fiscal year, many of whom were only responsible for d ” a co-payment of $ 6.

The university said at the time that these and other practices were necessary “to generate positive operating income” to support medical school, research and technology, among other goals.

After the Kaiser investigation broke in the fall of 2019, UVa made immediate changes and said it would take a detailed look at its billing and collection practices.

The university continued to come under criticism in 2020 for its practices.

UVa recently said it would issue judgments to recover money, such as wage garnishment, as well as property liens for most middle- and low-income patients.

It will also limit the liability of patients for future debts.

One way to do this is to broaden its eligibility criteria for financial aid. The health care system will remove privileges and judgments for patients whose incomes are 400% or less of the federal poverty income level. This standard is more in line with that of other hospitals – like Carilion Clinic, a not-for-profit healthcare system in Roanoke.