[Elby B]

My relative, who no longer drives, has been to several doctors and had a short stay in a hospital here in TV. Whenever she goes to a new doctor, she is told she must provide a current driver's license, but this is usually not enforced and the doctor accepts her as a new patient anyway. However, when she was recently admitted to the hospital, she was told that it was a Florida law that she must provide either a driver's license or government issued ID or else the hospital will refuse to treat or admit her. Is this actually a legal requirement ? And, if so, is there a way to prevent the administrator from just walking off with the document and disappearing with it for about 30 minutes or so (which did happen) ? If we provided a photocopy of the ID and displayed (but kept) the actual ID would this be sufficient? My relative is very worried about ID theft.

[Hunt Law Firm]

I am not sure if the hospital is required to obtain a copy of your friend’s identification. The hospital needs to verify that the patient they are treating is actually who they say they are for a multitude of reasons. For example, your friend’s insurance company may require the hospital to obtain a copy of your driver’s license in order to process the payment. Likewise, if your friend receives any type of government benefit, there may be a requirement that the hospital fulfill certain conditions to get paid.
That being said, if there is some requirement that the identification be produced, it would not be unreasonable for your friend to either bring in her own photocopy or demand that her identification be photocopied and given directly back to her. If the hospital would not allow that, I would ask to speak with a supervisor or administrator.