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County attorney questions hospital billing for DUI blood draws; CEO says he will investigate
Summary
Ellsworth County's attorney asked the Ellsworth County Medical Center CEO why invoices for DUI blood draws began appearing in October 2024; the hospital CEO said he would take copies of the invoices and investigate, leaving the issue unresolved at the meeting.
During the Feb. 23 Ellsworth County Commission meeting, County Attorney Paul Kasper asked Ellsworth County Medical Center CEO Jim Kirkbride why the county began receiving invoices for blood draws performed for DUI cases starting in October 2024 and whether that represented a policy change or a coding issue.
Kasper said his understanding was that the hospital had been performing blood draws for the county “as a courtesy.” He asked whether the recent invoices reflected a deliberate policy shift or simply different billing codes. Kirkbride responded that he would take copies of the invoices and return to investigate the matter.
The board did not take formal action on the inquiry; Kirkbride’s response left the question unresolved at the close of the appointment. The record shows only that the hospital CEO committed to review the invoices and report back to the county.
