Opinion
No. 1-619 / 00-1161.
Filed January 9, 2002.
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Pottawattamie County, GORDON C. ABEL, Judge.
Steven Grosse appeals an order granting summary judgment against him on a claim brought by General Services Bureau, Inc. for debts incurred involving the provision of medical treatment. AFFIRMED.
Dennis A. Bjorklund, Coralville, for appellant.
Michael J. O'Bradovich, Omaha, Nebraska, for appellee.
Considered by SACKETT, C.J., and MAHAN and HECHT, JJ.
On June 18, 1996, Steven Grosse entered the Jennie Edmundson Memorial Hospital to receive medical services. Hospital personnel checked with Grosse's insurance carrier, United Health Care Insurance (United), and received authorization that the medical services were covered under Grosse's insurance policy. The Jennie Edmundson Hospital, along with Health Systems Billing Physicians and Medical Anesthesia Associates, provided medical services to Grosse. United, however, subsequently denied coverage after discovering the policy had lapsed on May 31, 1996, and Grosse failed to pay for the services.
The medical care providers assigned their claims in the total amount of $25,399.59 against Grosse to a collection agency, plaintiff General Services Bureau, Inc. (GSB). On March 9, 2000, GSB filed a petition at law to collect the debt from Grosse and on May 15, 2000 filed a motion for summary judgment. The court found that no genuine issue of material fact remained, and therefore granted the motion. It entered judgment against Grosse in the amount of $25,399.59 plus interest. On appeal, Grosse contends the district court erred in granting summary judgment because a genuine issue of material facts exists as to whether the health care providers had valid claims against him. In particular, he asserts there is no evidence regarding the validity of the debt or verification of the medical services performed.
We review the summary judgment ruling for errors of law. Whalen v. Connelly, 621 N.W.2d 681, 684-5 (Iowa 2000). Summary judgment is appropriate if the entire record including pleadings, discovery, and affidavits on file shows there is no genuine issue of material fact such that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Id.
After careful review of the record provided to us on appeal, we agree with the district court's determination there is no genuine issue of material fact to be resolved in this case. Grosse admits he received the aforementioned medical services. Furthermore, GSB offered an affidavit from David Crane, manager of GSB, affirming that the medical care providers' claim of $25,399.59 had been assigned to his business.
Grosse only disputes his liability for the medical bills by claiming he was misled by hospital personnel regarding his health care coverage. His resistance to the motion for summary judgment did not deny that the services were rendered by the providers or that the amounts they charged were fair and reasonable. Although Grosse asserts he would not have undergone the medical care rendered by the providers if he had been informed the cost of the services was not covered by insurance, he cites no authority for the proposition that his reliance upon such misinformation provides a valid defense to GSB's claim. Accordingly, we find the district court did not err in granting summary judgment. The district court decision is affirmed in its entirety.
AFFIRMED.