Some Hospitals Using Collection Agencies to Register Patients

Accretive Health, a collection and management company has contracts with struggling hospitals around the country to assist with the collection of hospital bills.  In some cases the registration and billing departments of some hospitals have been turned over to collection agencies.  In an investigation in Minnesota, for example, it is claimed some patients have been required to pay prior to receiving medical services.

 Accretive reported net income of $29.2 million dollars last year up 130%.

There have been complaints by the medical  staff at hospitals where these techniques are being employed, that patients are failing to seek life saving procedures because of these collection techniques.

This raises more questions about what will happen if the new health care law is struck down.  Many of the people who are prey to these collection agencies lack health insurance.  Without a health care plan the numbers of people subjected to these strong-are tactics will only increase.   For more go the Bloomberg News.

awayne3@bloomberg.net

by Michael Quinn, Esq.