Billing company denies pressuring Minnesota ER patients

ST. PAUL — An Illinois medical debt collection company accused of pressuring Minnesota hospital patients with heavy-handed tactics is responding to allegations detailed in a state attorney general's report.

Accretive Health Inc. said in a statement the attorney general's report includes "inaccuracies, innuendo and unfounded speculation." In a lengthy report issued earlier this month, Attorney General Lori Swanson accused the Chicago company of routinely pressuring patients to pay for services before treatment was given, going so far as to collect at a patient's bedside and in some cases leading patients to decide to skip treatment.

The Star Tribune reports Accretive says Swanson's claims "grossly distort and mischaracterize" its practices in collecting money for Fairview hospitals. Fairview recently severed ties with Accretive at its seven Twin Cities hospitals.

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