2014:
Ascension’s critics say the health ministry has strayed from its mission.
“Why is this organization charitable? In my view, it’s not,” said John Colombo, a professor at the University of Illinois College of Law and expert on tax-exempt organizations.
Taking care of the poor and vulnerable? In a pig’s eye.
“Accretive collects debts for Ascension and other hospital systems. In 2012 Accretive was accused of illegal practices at two Minnesota nonprofit hospitals not affiliated with Ascension.”
“An investigation by the Minnesota attorney general found Accretive stationed bill collectors in emergency rooms, awarded prizes to hospital staffers who collected the most money and fired those who failed to meet quotas. Ascension, which owns a 7 percent stake in Accretive, said it “has policies regarding patient accounts that reflect our commitment to recognize the human dignity of our patients.”
“This was not a new issue. In 2004, Tersigni testified at a congressional hearing that collection agencies hired by Ascension had at times been overzealous.
“There have been instances, and I believe they are rare, when collection agencies have been more aggressive in their practices than our values would support,” he testified. “That there may only be a few instances does not excuse us.”
https://www.stltoday.com/business/local/how-a-st-louis-based-health-care-system-became-one-of-the-nations-biggest/article_c07ada87-ab74-5175-a0b0-5219dd7b95f1.html
Ascension subsidiaries include more than 125 for-profit companies that specialize in radiology services, medical equipment sales and rental, outpatient surgeries, endoscopic centers and cardiac care services as well as investment firms, condominium associations, a laundry in Michigan and a local travel agency.