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Facing a possible civil rights investigation, Mayo Clinic’s chief executive is backpedaling from statements he made to employees about prioritizing the care of privately insured patients over those on Medicare and Medicaid. Dr. John Noseworthy issued a press release late Friday saying that he regrets that the wording he used caused confusion about the hospital’s commitment to serving patients with government insurance. He sought to correct the record after Minnesota regulators said they are looking into potential legal violations based on his comments. (Ross, 3/17)

John Noseworthy's comments were made late last year in a videotaped speech to staff but surfaced only this week after a transcript of his speech was obtained by the Star Tribune newspaper. The Mayo Clinic has verified the transcript is accurate. Noseworthy said in a statement Friday that medical need will always be the top factor in scheduling an appointment. (Forliti, 3/17)