Proposed rules would bar aggressive medical debt collection tactics from nonprofit hospitals

New proposed rules from the IRS would require nonprofit hospitals to use the most aggressive debt collection methods against lower-income patients.

Fox News: IRS To Tax-Exempt Hospitals: Go Easier On Medical Debt Collection
A little-noticed provision of the health care reform law could help millions of people avoid staggering medical bills, liens on their homes and debt collection calls. In passing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Congress directed the Internal Revenue Service to draft rules to flesh out a portion of law, spelling out the consumer protections for those receiving charitable care at nonprofit hospitals. ... The proposed rules, issued June 22 by the IRS, would apply to the nearly six in 10 U.S. hospitals that operate as tax-exempt, nonprofit charitable hospitals. They would be required to provide additional consumer protections and services to patients who qualify for charity care and medical financial aid. If finalized, the rules would bar the hospitals from using the most aggressive debt collection tactics against low-income patients who don't pay their medical bills (Prater, 7/5).

And a new study says high CEO pay doesn't correlate to hospital quality --

Kaiser Health News: Study: High CEO Pay Doesn't Boost Hospital Quality
Everybody agrees the health system needs to improve patient results even as it becomes more efficient. So shouldn't we reward hospital managers who make progress in both areas? That doesn't seem to be the case in New Hampshire, according to a new study from the New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies (Hancock, 7/6).