Judge rules county doesn’t have to pay 3 Florida hospitals for indigent care

Circuit Judge Andrea McHugh ruled against HCA Florida Englewood Hospital, the now defunct ShorePoint Health Venice (Fla.) and HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital’s attempt to prove that a special act by the Florida Legislature and local ordinances created a contract requiring Sarasota County to pay the hospitals for their treatment of indigent patients, The Sun reported Nov. 11.