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One of the nations largest medical debt-collection companies is under fire in Minnesota for having placed its employees in emergency rooms and other departments at two hospitals and demanding that patients pay before receiving treatment, according to documents released Tuesday by the Minnesota attorney general. The documents say the company also used patient health records to wrangle for more money on overdue bills.
In its pitches to hospitals, Accretive boasts that it trains its staff to focus on getting payment. Employees in the emergency room were told to ask incoming patients first for a credit-card payment. If that fails, employees are told to say, If you have your checkbook in your car I will be happy to wait for you, internal documents show.
In July 2010, a manager at Accretive told staff members at Fairview Health Services, a Minnesota hospital group, that they should get cracking on labor and delivery, since there is a good chunk to be collected there, according to internal company e-mails.
As part of its collection strategy, Accretive fostered a boiler-room environment at the hospitals it works with, according to hospital employees and the newly released documents.
While hospital collections increased, patient care plummeted, the employees said. Patients are harassed mercilessly, a hospital employee told Ms. Swanson. Another hospital employee complained, We were told if we dont get money from patients, in the emergency room, we will be fired.
Accretive debt-collection employees, calling themselves financial counselors, are instructed by the upper management ranks to stall patients entering the emergency room until they have agreed to pay a prior balance, according to the documents.
In a development that consumer groups say raises privacy issues, a growing number of hospitals are mining patients' personal financial information to figure out how likely they are to pay their bills.
Some hospitals are peering into patients' credit reports, which contain information on people's lines of credit, debts and payment histories. Other hospitals are contracting with outside services that predict a patient's income and whether he or she is likely to walk away from a medical bill. Hospitals often use these services when patients are uninsured or have big out-of-pocket costs despite having health insurance.
Hospitals say the practice helps them identify which patients to pursue actively for payment because they can afford to pay. They say it also allows them to figure out more quickly which patients are eligible for charity care or assistance programs.
NYT has an interesting look today at some of the more aggressive medical debt collection tactics.
Debt Collector Is Faulted for Tough Tactics in Hospitals
One of the nations largest medical debt-collection companies is under fire in Minnesota for having placed its employees in emergency rooms and other departments at two hospitals and demanding that patients pay before receiving treatment, according to documents released Tuesday by the Minnesota attorney general. The documents say the company also used patient health records to wrangle for more money on overdue bills.Reminiscent of a trend the WSJ noted four years ago:In its pitches to hospitals, Accretive boasts that it trains its staff to focus on getting payment. Employees in the emergency room were told to ask incoming patients first for a credit-card payment. If that fails, employees are told to say, If you have your checkbook in your car I will be happy to wait for you, internal documents show.
In July 2010, a manager at Accretive told staff members at Fairview Health Services, a Minnesota hospital group, that they should get cracking on labor and delivery, since there is a good chunk to be collected there, according to internal company e-mails.
As part of its collection strategy, Accretive fostered a boiler-room environment at the hospitals it works with, according to hospital employees and the newly released documents.
While hospital collections increased, patient care plummeted, the employees said. Patients are harassed mercilessly, a hospital employee told Ms. Swanson. Another hospital employee complained, We were told if we dont get money from patients, in the emergency room, we will be fired.
Accretive debt-collection employees, calling themselves financial counselors, are instructed by the upper management ranks to stall patients entering the emergency room until they have agreed to pay a prior balance, according to the documents.
Why Hospitals Want Your Credit Report - WSJ.com
In a development that consumer groups say raises privacy issues, a growing number of hospitals are mining patients' personal financial information to figure out how likely they are to pay their bills.
Some hospitals are peering into patients' credit reports, which contain information on people's lines of credit, debts and payment histories. Other hospitals are contracting with outside services that predict a patient's income and whether he or she is likely to walk away from a medical bill. Hospitals often use these services when patients are uninsured or have big out-of-pocket costs despite having health insurance.
Hospitals say the practice helps them identify which patients to pursue actively for payment because they can afford to pay. They say it also allows them to figure out more quickly which patients are eligible for charity care or assistance programs.
If the car is reasonably priced, then a person doesn't mind paying for it (if have to have one), but when it is priced to gouge someone, and then the car breaks down just about as soon as it leaves the lot, many refuse to pay for that car anylonger.I wonder if you can go to a car dealership and expect to get a car without paying for it
The same with anything else in life, where as if it is over priced and set far beyond what a person can deal with fairly to begin with, but yet the person is forced to have to get it at that moment in their life, then it's only a matter of time before they will default on the product in which was sold to them in this manor, and the company who sold it knows this, but no fear by the corrupt company who sold the product, because they will just await the person to turn to the government for help or they will submit it themselves, and the bill is then taken care of no matter how outrageous the bill might have been or how bad the product was in which was sold to them in a time of their desperate need (especially when it comes to ones heath in life).
you've got a serious problem with your system.
No other industrialized country experiences that kind of thing.The same with anything else in life, where as if it is over priced and set far beyond what a person can deal with fairly to begin with, but yet the person is forced to have to get it at that moment in their life, then it's only a matter of time before they will default on the product in which was sold to them in this manor, and the company who sold it knows this, but no fear by the corrupt company who sold the product, because they will just await the person to turn to the government for help or they will submit it themselves, and the bill is then taken care of no matter how outrageous the bill might have been or how bad the product was in which was sold to them in a time of their desperate need (especially when it comes to ones heath in life).
Indeed, when you get to the point where debt collectors are actually stationed in the emergency room, interfering with the work of medical professionals, you've got a serious problem with your system. It's not good for the patients, it's not good for the doctors, and it's not even good for the suits at the hospital.
The same with anything else in life, where as if it is over priced and set far beyond what a person can deal with fairly to begin with, but yet the person is forced to have to get it at that moment in their life, then it's only a matter of time before they will default on the product in which was sold to them in this manor, and the company who sold it knows this, but no fear by the corrupt company who sold the product, because they will just await the person to turn to the government for help or they will submit it themselves, and the bill is then taken care of no matter how outrageous the bill might have been or how bad the product was in which was sold to them in a time of their desperate need (especially when it comes to ones heath in life).
Indeed, when you get to the point where debt collectors are actually stationed in the emergency room, interfering with the work of medical professionals, you've got a serious problem with your system. It's not good for the patients, it's not good for the doctors, and it's not even good for the suits at the hospital.
No other industrialized country experiences that kind of thing.The same with anything else in life, where as if it is over priced and set far beyond what a person can deal with fairly to begin with, but yet the person is forced to have to get it at that moment in their life, then it's only a matter of time before they will default on the product in which was sold to them in this manor, and the company who sold it knows this, but no fear by the corrupt company who sold the product, because they will just await the person to turn to the government for help or they will submit it themselves, and the bill is then taken care of no matter how outrageous the bill might have been or how bad the product was in which was sold to them in a time of their desperate need (especially when it comes to ones heath in life).
Indeed, when you get to the point where debt collectors are actually stationed in the emergency room, interfering with the work of medical professionals, you've got a serious problem with your system. It's not good for the patients, it's not good for the doctors, and it's not even good for the suits at the hospital.
No one goes bankrupt because they are unfortunate enough to have a heart attack or cancer.
So, now how will the wingnuts spin the free health care for the poor and uninsured?
If you don't die in the ER waiting room, you may die while being badgered/harassed by a debt collector.
Indeed, when you get to the point where debt collectors are actually stationed in the emergency room, interfering with the work of medical professionals, you've got a serious problem with your system. It's not good for the patients, it's not good for the doctors, and it's not even good for the suits at the hospital.
So, now how will the wingnuts spin the free health care for the poor and uninsured?
If you don't die in the ER waiting room, you may die while being badgered/harassed by a debt collector.
ERs cannot refuse to treat a patient.
Indeed, when you get to the point where debt collectors are actually stationed in the emergency room, interfering with the work of medical professionals, you've got a serious problem with your system. It's not good for the patients, it's not good for the doctors, and it's not even good for the suits at the hospital.
I think Hell just froze over, as I actually agree with you.
No hospital should allow this to happen. Collection agents should NOT be allowed to badger patients in an ER, or in the ER waiting room, period. Either the hospital should prevent it, or congress (yeah, like that'll happen right?) should.
So, now how will the wingnuts spin the free health care for the poor and uninsured?
If you don't die in the ER waiting room, you may die while being badgered/harassed by a debt collector.
ERs cannot refuse to treat a patient.
They most certainly can refuse to treat.
ERs cannot refuse to treat a patient.
They most certainly can refuse to treat.
No they can't and you can thank Ronnie for that one.
EMTALA
They most certainly can refuse to treat.
No they can't and you can thank Ronnie for that one.
EMTALA
Yes, they can.
2. What are the provisions of EMTALA?
EMTALA.COM, 23 April 2011 (created 22 April 2011)
- no tags
The essential provisions of the statute are as follows:
Any patient who "comes to the emergency department" requesting "examination or treatment for a medical condition" must be provided with "an appropriate medical screening examination" to determine if he is suffering from an "emergency medical condition". If he is, then the hospital is obligated to either provide him with treatment until he is stable or to transfer him to another hospital in conformance with the statute's directives.
What constitutes "coming to the emergency department"? See our special note on the 250 yard rule and its discussion of presentations to locations other than the emergency room, as well as the further discussion below.
If the patient does not have an "emergency medical condition", the statute imposes no further obligation on the hospital.
So, now how will the wingnuts spin the free health care for the poor and uninsured?
If you don't die in the ER waiting room, you may die while being badgered/harassed by a debt collector.
ERs cannot refuse to treat a patient.
They most certainly can refuse to treat.
They most certainly can refuse to treat.
No they can't and you can thank Ronnie for that one.
EMTALA
Yes, they can.
2. What are the provisions of EMTALA?
EMTALA.COM, 23 April 2011 (created 22 April 2011)
- no tags
The essential provisions of the statute are as follows:
Any patient who "comes to the emergency department" requesting "examination or treatment for a medical condition" must be provided with "an appropriate medical screening examination" to determine if he is suffering from an "emergency medical condition". If he is, then the hospital is obligated to either provide him with treatment until he is stable or to transfer him to another hospital in conformance with the statute's directives.
What constitutes "coming to the emergency department"? See our special note on the 250 yard rule and its discussion of presentations to locations other than the emergency room, as well as the further discussion below.
If the patient does not have an "emergency medical condition", the statute imposes no further obligation on the hospital.
The definition provided under the statute is:
A medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in
placing the health of the individual (or, with respect to a pregnant woman, the health of the woman or her unborn child) in serious jeopardy,
serious impairment to bodily functions, or
serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part, or
With respect to a pregnant woman who is having contractions
that there is inadequate time to effect a safe transfer to another hospital before delivery, or
that the transfer may pose a threat to the health or safety of the woman or her unborn child."
