How do hospitals collect these bills? Can the hospital sue you to collect on these bills?
>If they don't tell you the price beforehand, and they don't publicly post the prices, legally, how do you ever owe them any money?
If you ever go to an actual hospital, you'll see how absurd this question is. First, there are never any prices posted. Second, good luck even getting an answer about how much anything costs. A friend had to try three different facilities (thankfully a non-urgent matter) before he could even find a facility where they could quote a price.
They just pass them onto a collections agency. Same as any other outstanding bill processing.