Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic will halt almost all lawsuits to collect medical debt after entering into a legal settlement with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, according to the Star Tribune.
Five things to know:
1. Minnesota's Attorney General's Office began looking into Mayo's collection practices in 2022 after a news outlet reported the nonprofit system sued low-income patients for unpaid medical bills.
2. The agreement ends a two-year probe and sets a threshold for Mayo to maintain for charity care administration, following voluntary steps already taken by the health system, according to the report. Mr. Ellison said he was "heartened" by Mayo's improvements to the charity care program.
3. Mayo denied any wrongdoing or legal violations in the agreement, and told the Star Tribune the settlement underscored its "longstanding commitment" for patient access to care.
4. The AG didn't impose penalties or restitution in the settlement.
5. Last year, Mayo Clinic increased financial awards to around $142 million, which helped 42,700 patients.