Crouse-Irving Memorial Hospital v. Moore

Yvonne Moore (defendant) sought financial assistance from the Onondaga County Department of Social Services (department) to pay for medical expenses for her son, Ronald Bartell (defendant). The department denied Moore’s request because it determined that Moore had the financial resources to pay for Bartell’s existing expenses, but the department agreed to pay future expenses after Moore spent all her available funds. Moore demanded a hearing to challenge the department’s decision. By the day of the hearing, the department’s attorney had received a statement from Crouse-Irving Memorial Hospital, Inc. (hospital) (plaintiff) indicating that almost $9,000 of Moore’s bill for Bartell’s treatment was paid. Based on the hospital statement, the department’s attorney told Moore that if she paid the balance of $169.50, the department would pay for the rest. Moore agreed and withdrew her request for a hearing to determine her eligibility for financial assistance. However, in fact, neither Moore, Bartell, nor anyone else had paid the almost $9,000 to the hospital; Moore and Bartell paid only the $169.50 per Moore’s agreement with the department’s attorney. The hospital sued Moore and Bartell for payment of the outstanding bill. Moore and Bartell impleaded the department and a state agency, asserting that the department and the agency were bound by a stipulation of settlement between Moore and the department’s attorney. The supreme court granted summary judgment to the hospital and judgment over in favor of Moore and Bartell against the department and the state agency. The department and the state agency appealed.