Who should be billed for the treatment of an emancipated minor?

Billing for the treatment of an emancipated minor falls to the minor themselves. An emancipated minor is a person under the age of majority who has been granted legal independence from their parents or guardians. As a result, they can make their own healthcare decisions, enter into contracts, and are responsible for their own bills, including medical expenses.

This concept is grounded in the legal acknowledgment that emancipated minors have achieved a level of maturity and independence that warrants treating them similarly to adults in certain legal contexts. Therefore, in this case, the minor is the party responsible for payment for healthcare services provided.

The other options do not apply because parents and guardians have relinquished their financial responsibility for the minor's healthcare upon emancipation, and healthcare providers typically bill the responsible party, which in this context would be the emancipated minor rather than themselves.