Franciscan clinics to request prepayment from uninsured

Uninsured patients will be asked to pay something in advance before getting care at Mayo Clinic Health System's Franciscan Healthcare offices starting next month. The move follows an industry trend to get patients to meet their financial responsibilities and reduce bad debt. Last year the organization says it served nearly 8,800 uninsured patients but recovered just 7 percent of the $6.6 million in charges billed. (LA CROSSE TRIBUNE, 9/15)