Examine patients first, credit second

With a nudge from Attorney General Lori Swanson, Minnesota lawmakers have launched a preemptive strike on behalf of medical consumers against a developing technology tentatively named medFICO.

If the name sounds like that of the well-known FICO credit-scoring system, there's a reason. It's being developed by a company with backing from Minneapolis-based Fair Isaac Corp. Its future use: compiling individuals' medical payment histories.

The Minnesota bill, awaiting the governor's signature, bars providers from looking at patients' medical debt records until after a doctor is seen. Although medFICO's developers say that it's only a tool to be used after treatment, it's unclear how they could prevent its use to screen prospective patients, possibly even turning them away.

Medical debt is one of the leading causes of personal bankruptcy. The foreclosure crisis and a sluggish economy have also put the hurt on many people's credit histories. Swanson and legislators correctly diagnosed the potential for problems and took action to build in safeguards ahead of time.