carlsbad medical center.n emergency in carlsbad, new mexico, a heart attack, a broken bone, is there a choice about where you go? >> no. >> how many hospitals are in town in. >> one. >> patients here are at its mercy, forced to pay whatever it charges. patients like donna hernandez, who manages a local hotel here. last year whenen she had the flu and went to the emergency room, she received a bill for $6,000. >> and it was $6,000, two-and-a-half hours in that hospital. >> what did you think when you got a $6,000 bill for two hours of care? >> i was shocked. >>. >> reporter: and when patients can't pay, the hospital will sometimes sue them to collect the money. a cnn investigation of court records shows in the past ten years, carlsbad medical center has sued more than 3,000 people to collect debt. everyone here, donna, victoria pena, misty price and her husband a.j. price have all been sued bety hospital. sometimes as a part of the lawsuit, carlsbad medical center takes money right out of their paychecks. it h

carlsbad medical center. >> when you have an emergency in carlsbad, new mexico, heart attack, a brokenere any choice about where you go? >> no. uh-uh. >> how many hospitals in town? >> one. >> reporter: patients here at its mercy forced to pay whatever it charges. patients like donna hernandez who manages a local hotel here. last year, when she had the flu and went to the emergency room, she received a bill for $6,000. >> and it was $6,000, 2 1/2 hours in that hospital. >> what did you think when you got a $6,000 bill for two hours of care? >> i was shocked. >> reporter: and when patients like donna can't pay, the hospital will sometimes sue them to collect the money. a cnn investigation of court records shows in the past ten years, carlsbad medical center has sued more than 3,000 people to collect debts. everyone here, donna, victoria pena, misty price and her husband a.j. price, have all been sued by the hospital. sometimes as part of the lawsuit, carlsbad medical center takes money right out of their paychecks. it happened to victoria, a teacher's aide. >> like why would the hospita

when she contacted me and said that many people have been sued, i went to this town, carlsbad. cnn did a piece on it. i wrote about how this town has the only hospital in town has sued hundreds of people to garnish their paychecks, and i spent time in the homes of these individuals. they garnished -- they sued the judge in the courthouse because -- they sue indiscriminately. the hospital does not provide itemized bills. many of these are overpriced. i've compared them to to prices hopkins, andn these are threatening the trust of the medical profession. people deserve that are. one of the waitresses who i met in the hotel i stayed at is a single mom of three kids. she had her minimum wage paycheck garnished for a morning sickness when she was pregnant seven years ago and could not pay the bill. she has been sued, and people have been sued multiple times. i went to her home, she does not live like me. god has been good to me, i am a licensed surgeon. she is like the other half of america in that they have less than $400 of cash in savings. that is how half of america lives. i thi

when she contacted me and said that many people have been sued, i went to this town, carlsbad.did a piece on it. i wrote about how this town has the only hospital in town has sued hundreds of people to garnish their paychecks, and i spent time in the homes of these individuals. they garnished -- they sued the judge in the courthouse because -- they sue indiscriminately. the hospital does not provide itemized bills. many of these are overpriced. i've compared them to to prices hopkins, andn these are threatening the trust of the medical profession. people deserve that are. one of the waitresses who i met in the hotel i stayed at is a single mom of three kids. she had her minimum wage paycheck garnished for a morning sickness when she was pregnant seven years ago and could not pay the bill. she has been sued, and people have been sued multiple times. i went to her home, she does not live like me. god has been good to me, i am a licensed surgeon. she is like the other half of america in that they have less than $400 of cash in savings. that is how half of america lives. i think so