Resident asks El Paso County to review Children's Hospital billing after alleged $33,623 charge

During public comment at the March 2 Commissioner's Court meeting, Julian Gonzalez asked the court to review billing and collection practices at El Paso Children’s Hospital after his nephew, a non‑resident patient, allegedly received an initial account balance of $33,623.

Gonzalez described difficulty obtaining clear explanations from hospital billing and compliance contacts and said calls from third‑party collection representatives had been aggressive. "He received an initial balance $33,623," Gonzalez said, describing attempts to reach a compliance officer and asking the court to examine transparency and contact practices.

Why it matters: Public commenters said patients and families who travel from Mexico for care or who otherwise pay for services have limited visibility into hospital billing details and sometimes receive sizeable follow‑up balances. Gonzalez asked the court, as a county oversight body, to review whether hospital contact and disclosure practices meet standards for transparency and to provide phone numbers and a point of contact for compliance inquiries.

What the court did: Commissioners acknowledged the concern and asked staff to follow up. Commissioner Stout’s office offered to have staff contact Gonzalez to gather documentation and coordinate with county staff; no audit or formal investigation was announced at the meeting.

Next steps: The commenter said he had filed or intended to file Freedom of Information requests and offered to provide an affidavit. County staff will follow up with Gonzalez to collect documents and determine whether administrative or oversight action is warranted.