Louisiana hospitals should not be billing rape victims for treatment: lawmakers

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http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/10/louisiana-hospitals-should-not-be-billing-rape-victims-for-treatment-lawmakers/

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Louisiana hospitals should not be billing rape victims for treatment: lawmakers
Scott Kaufman
20 Oct 2014 at 15:52 ET

The Advocate‘s Marsha Shuler reports that, under a new plan, rape victims in Louisiana will no longer be charged for examinations and tests after reporting a sexual assault.

Under the current law, many rape victims are charged for expenses such as emergency room care, HIV and pregnancy testing, and medication used to treat their injuries.

Victim’s rights advocates have long claimed that the threat of exorbitant hospital fees dissuades many rape victims from seeking medical treatment — and if they do not seek treatment, they are unlikely to report the sexual assault.

Even though the “rape kits” used to collect evidence are not charged to the victim, the prohibitive cost of the treatment they would receive before the forensic examination deters them from reporting the assault at all.