Debt Collectors at the Hospital

Debt collection agencies have become more aggressive in their pursuit of medical debt.  A recent investigation into the practices of Accretive Health, one of largest medical debt collection agencies, reveals that agency workers were given front-line staffing positions, such as registering patients, and did not distinguish themselves from hospital employees. They then attempted to collect delinquent payments from patients or dissuaded them seeking care if they could not pay. The debt collectors stalled patients in emergency rooms and placed patients on “stop lists” if they were delinquent on payments.