Intermountain Health Care, Inc. v. Board of County Commissioners

SHEPARD, Justice.

This case arises from a hospital’s claim against Caribou County for care rendered to allegedly indigent residents of the county. The county settled its case with the hospital and now seeks reimbursement from the parents of the infant patient. The central issue presented involves the nature of the county’s right to be reimbursed by the patient and the patient’s parents.

Nathan Roper was born in Caribou County with a herniated diaphragm, for which he was sent first to Caribou Memorial Hospital, then to Bannock Memorial Hospital, and finally to Primary Children’s Medical Center,…