Under Civ. Code, §§ 3045.1-3045.6),1, when a hospital provides care for a patient, the hospital has a statutory lien against any recovery by the patient against the tortfeasor or his insurer that caused the injury requiring the hospital treatment. The law prohibits the tortfeasor from paying off the patient if notified of the hospital’s lien. This decision holds that the tortfeasor’s insurer does not satisfy it statutory obligation to pay the hospital lien from up to 50% of the patient’s recovery by writing a check in that amount payable to the patient and the hospital and delivering the check to the patient’s attorney.