Attorney General files lawsuit against Lakeville chiropractor
Published: 2009-09-10 11:19:46
Author: T.W. Budig | HometownSource.com | August 12, 2009
Attorney General Lori Swanson and the Minnesota Board of Chiropractic Examiners filed a lawsuit today (Wednesday, Aug. 12) in Dakota County District Court against a Lakeville chiropractor alleging his clinic enrolled patients in medical credit cards without permission and wrongfully placed charges on the cards.
“This is the health care version of subprime predatory mortgage lending,” said Swanson at a Capitol press conference.
The suit was filed against Express Health, a chiropractic clinic which has facilities in Lakeville and Apple Valley, and clinic owner Cory Couillard of Lakeville.
Appearing with Attorney General Lori Swanson at a Capitol press conference were Dr. Larry Spicer, executive director of the state chiropractic board, and a number of patients allegedly wronged by Couillard.
In the suit, Swanson and the chiropractic board allege that the clinic aggressively enrolled patients — about 150 all told, said Swanson — in “CareCredit” credit cards issued by GE Money Bank.
Clinic misrepresented intentions
In doing so, the clinic often misrepresented its intentions to patients while sometimes falsying applications to the credit card company to insure acceptance.
Once accepted, the clinic immediately place charges of up to $5,040 on the credit cards without patient knowledge or consent, the suit alleges.
Between December, 2006, and April, 2009, the Express Health charged $560,850 to CareCredit credit cards issued to patients, according to the suit.
“He never gave a reason,” said Lana Erickson of Edina, a former patient who went to Couillard’s clinic for intense neck and back pain and ended up receiving a credit card she did not want.
First experience with credit cards
For Lindsay Westerkamp, 25, of Burnsville, the medical credit card she received through the clinic and the $3,100 charge on it was her first experience with credit cards.
Full story
Published: 2009-09-10 11:19:46
Author: T.W. Budig | HometownSource.com | August 12, 2009
Attorney General Lori Swanson and the Minnesota Board of Chiropractic Examiners filed a lawsuit today (Wednesday, Aug. 12) in Dakota County District Court against a Lakeville chiropractor alleging his clinic enrolled patients in medical credit cards without permission and wrongfully placed charges on the cards.
“This is the health care version of subprime predatory mortgage lending,” said Swanson at a Capitol press conference.
The suit was filed against Express Health, a chiropractic clinic which has facilities in Lakeville and Apple Valley, and clinic owner Cory Couillard of Lakeville.
Appearing with Attorney General Lori Swanson at a Capitol press conference were Dr. Larry Spicer, executive director of the state chiropractic board, and a number of patients allegedly wronged by Couillard.
In the suit, Swanson and the chiropractic board allege that the clinic aggressively enrolled patients — about 150 all told, said Swanson — in “CareCredit” credit cards issued by GE Money Bank.
Clinic misrepresented intentions
In doing so, the clinic often misrepresented its intentions to patients while sometimes falsying applications to the credit card company to insure acceptance.
Once accepted, the clinic immediately place charges of up to $5,040 on the credit cards without patient knowledge or consent, the suit alleges.
Between December, 2006, and April, 2009, the Express Health charged $560,850 to CareCredit credit cards issued to patients, according to the suit.
“He never gave a reason,” said Lana Erickson of Edina, a former patient who went to Couillard’s clinic for intense neck and back pain and ended up receiving a credit card she did not want.
First experience with credit cards
For Lindsay Westerkamp, 25, of Burnsville, the medical credit card she received through the clinic and the $3,100 charge on it was her first experience with credit cards.
Full story