Minn. Settles Suit over 'Aggressive' Hospital Debt Collections

Attorney General Lori Swanson says the state has settled a lawsuit against Chicago-based Accretive Health Inc. over aggressive efforts to collect debt from patients in several Minnesota hospitals.
    
The settlement Swanson announced Monday requires Accretive to stop operating in Minnesota by November and stay out of the state for six years.
    
Swanson says the company will also pay $2.5 million to set up a restitution fund for patients and return patient data to its client hospitals in the state.
    
Accretive issued a statement saying the settlement contains no admission of wrongdoing. The company maintains Swanson's charges were "baseless and exaggerated."
    
Swanson sued Accretive in January over alleged violations of state and federal laws. Accretive worked for Fairview Health Systems, North Memorial Hospital and Maple Grove Hospital.
    
U.S. District Judge Richard Kyle approved the settlement Monday.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
 

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