Medical Debt Collecter to Settle Suit for 2.5 Million

[Stuart G]

Source: New York Times

Accretive Health, one of the nation’s largest collectors of medical debt, has agreed to pay $2.5 million to the Minnesota state attorney general’s office to settle accusations that it violated a federal law requiring hospitals to provide emergency care, even if patients cannot afford to pay.

The company has not admitted wrongdoing.

As part of Monday’s settlement, Accretive Health is also banned from contracting with hospitals within the state for at least two years, effectively ending its business at three Minnesota hospitals. For four years after that, the company will have to obtain permission from the attorney general before resuming business in the state.

In April, Lori Swanson, the Minnesota attorney general, disclosed hundreds of Accretive’s internal documents that outlined aggressive collection tactics, including embedding debt collectors as employees in emergency rooms and pressuring patients to pay before receiving treatment.

“A hospital emergency room should be a sanctuary for the sick and wounded, not a hunting ground for collectors,” Ms. Swanson said in an interview Monday.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/31/business/medical-debt-collector-to-pay-2-5-million-settlement.html?_r=1&hpw

---

These people are the ultimate assholes.
I cannot say enough about them...
I might get banned for calling them ..; M..... Fu...rs ;..actually that is what they are..

Oh, and it should have been 250 million...


another Link:

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/164313776.html

at the Star Tribune quote:

"Swanson obtained sworn statements from about 60 patients, many who said they were asked to pay up front while in the emergency room, lying on a gurney or hooked up to morphine. One woman said she was asked for payment while she was having a miscarriage."

[azurnoir]

1. GOOD

they embedded themselves @ Fairview University we were pressured to pay what the insurance company would not before treatment @ Amplatz Childrens hospital last summer

K&R

[Zoeisright]

2. Accretive Health secretes crap.

They are the fucking slime of the earth; I just wish there was a hell so those assholes could burn in it.

[DaveJ]

3. They will just change their company name and phone numbers

Start their business all over again under another identity. Slimebags.

[Stuart G]

5. You are probably correct.

These jerks will rename themselves.
But, this shows why we need to regulate these assholes.
We need to sue them .
Prevent these people from doing any kind of business.

Of course the Pukes, will say there are too many regulations.
.
And If they are right, then I am Queen Mary..the virgin queen...eh?

[Diclotican]

4. Stuart G

Stuart G

And I am more and more glad I live in a country, who have "socialized" medicine - where you can get free health care when needed, even if it is just a bruising on a leg or similar - or important like a heart repleasement... It all depend of your health I guess...

This is disgusting to say at least. And I can not understand why americans accept been treated like this....

Diclotican

[japple]

6. It is tolerated by americans because they have been brainwashed.

Brainwashed into thinking that they're #1, and #1 provides the best of everything!!! Anything else is socialism, communism, or fascism, and those "isms" don't work because they aren't part of our reality here in the US. They really don't know the difference between all the isms, but they aren't capitalism, which US citizens often mistake for democracy. And US citizens often don't want to investigate the alternatives and discover that they might not be #1.

[Diclotican]

11. japple

japple

To me, any who doesn't want a public founded health care system, must be brainwashed to believe it to be the norm - rather than the opposite.. The fact that USA is the only nation on the face of the earth who doesn't have a public founded Healt Care is way over what I can understand... Even though it is not perfect, a public health care at least give everyone the basic - and then some when the need arise... I would never have had the money to a decent insurance - when my body kind of faltered on me 4-5 year ago, after to much pressure and to much "junk-food"..I suspect the stress was the hardest who finally broke on me.. I was hospitalized for one week, got the whole nine yard in care - even some medicine who cost like 10.000 NKR to get, or US 1701 dollar (not that expensive maybe, but you can get a sheap second hand car for 10.000 nkr.. - and walked out the hospital with no debt on my shoulder.. If I had been in the US, I would have being paying on the debt for many years to come... Of course i do pay more taxes than the ordinary people in the US, but most of it goes to think I support.. Like "free" hospitals and so one.. And I would prefer to pay the taxes, rather than go broke because I needed some medical attentions...

I suspect, if enough americans was able to understand, that you can have a public founded health care - and the freedom who have been the hallmark of the US for most of your country's life, they would make a revolt to have it them self. But as long as they are being told, again and again from young age that a public option is horrible, and almost communist, even though I doubt most americans would know what communism, or socialism was, if it so was biting them in the infamous ass..

Diclotican

[DaveJ]

7. I know, it's confusing. So many reasons.

I think the problem is that our 2 party system has degenerated into the sane one, and the insane one.

Republicans also sold us into enentured servitude early on. Living in fear, under corporate control, had side effects.

Many simply break down mentally and become Republicans who vote against their personal best interest. There is so much fear, hate, greed, ignorance.

And half of the people graduated in the bottom halves of their classes, and they also get to vote, and become politicians.

[Diclotican]

12. DaveJ

DaveJ

That could also be the case - even though I doubt it will explain it all.. Many who graduate on the bottom halves of their classes, understand the importance of a public founded health care system.. And is willing to support the idea of public founded health care for everyone - even if you was never to visit the hospital after you is born... It is the PRINCIPLE of it all..

But if you are told from young age - that a public founded health care is adamant to everything americans - then you tend to believe it, and vote for the fellow who think public health care is bad for americans.. Even though ten of thousands, maybe hundred of thousands Will die far younger than they need to be, because of lack of even rudimentary health care... Specially because most illness's can, and should be treatable if just taken serious early on... Like my blood pressure who was over the roof - now it is where it is supposed to be, thanks to my doc - and some medicines who did the trick - and of course excises and better food...

Diclotican

[xocet]

8. The Board of Directors....

http://www.accretivehealth.com/AboutAccretiveHealth/BoardofDirectors/tabid/88/Default.aspx


Notably: DIRECTOR EMERITUS - George P. Shultz

[McCamy Taylor]

9. Glad that they are protecting our right to free emergency room care. Too bad they will not protect

our right to free preventive healthcare.

[derby378]

10. If they haven't admitted wrongdoing, we have lost

And yes, the fine should have been higher. $2.5 million is a drop in the bucket to these ghouls.

[magic59]

13. If we had a government for the people instead of against the people

these blood sucking corporations wouldn't even exist. Since corporations can get away with breaking laws in most states its time for the people to take the law into their own hands and it won't be pretty. Time to do a shock and awe on Accretive Health.

[wilt the stilt]

14. I have a couple of acquaintances

who own a debt collection business. They collect medical bills. I no longer talk to them.. bottom feeders.