Treasury proposes ban on some hospital collections

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Treasury is proposing new regulations that would ban debt collection activities in the emergency rooms of nonprofit hospitals.

The department’s proposal comes as Minnesota is suing a company, Accretive Health, for allegedly seeking payment from some patients before they were treated. Accretive contracted with Fairview Health Systems.

The proposed regulation would be added to a part of the federal health care law to protect patients from abusive collection practices, Minnesota Public Radio reports.