Hospitals Can Check Patient Credit Without Patient Approval & Before Services Are Provided

OPEN MINDS On-Line News Strategic Health Care News Credit bureaus say that hospitals have the right to check consumer credit data without prior permission before services are provided. According to Equifax Healthcare Solutions, a division of the credit bureau service Equifax, Inc, typical billing procedures used by many hospitals and health care providers may qualify as an extension of credit under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. If the billing procedure qualifies, health care providers have a permissible purpose to obtain credit information about consumers seeking health care service. Hospitals that check consumer credit . . .