Florida hospital seeks legal help to remove woman who refuses to leave for five months

A Florida hospital has a squatter problem and is seeking legal help from its local sheriff’s office.

Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare (TMH) discharged a patient on October 6, 2025, but she has refused to leave the room.

Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare earlier this month sued the patient, saying she has refused to depart her hospital room since being discharged last October. https://t.co/8G3jLUN2MN pic.twitter.com/bfN9Gms6mG

— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) March 18, 2026

“Defendant’s continued occupancy prevents use of the bed for patients needing acute care,” the hospital said.

“TMH staff made repeated efforts to assist the defendant in safely completing discharge,” the complaint states, according to Fox News Digital. “TMH offered assistance, including coordination with family members and offering non-emergency medical transportation to obtain necessary identification.”

“TMH has limited inpatient beds,” the complaint states. “The defendant’s continued occupancy prevents use of the bed for patients needing acute care.”

The hospital has contacted the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and is seeking a court order to have her removed.

“TMH is not able to discuss active legal matters, including background details,” the hospital told Fox Digital.

According to WESH 2:

Under the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, hospitals that receive Medicare funds must provide treatment that stabilizes anyone coming to an emergency department with an emergency medical condition, even if the patient doesn’t have insurance or the ability to pay. Hospitals can be investigated by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for violations.

The patient can be discharged when the clinicians have determined that any further care can be provided as an outpatient, ‘provided the individual is given a plan for appropriate follow-up care as part of the discharge instructions,’ the federal agency said in an operations manual.

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