Minnesota Hospital Fair Collection Practices
The Minnesota Attorney General and virtually all Minnesota hospitals have entered into an agreement relating to the hospitals’ billing and collection practices. These legally enforceable agreements require collection agencies and collection attorneys to go above and beyond to assist patients in getting bills paid and treating consumers fairly. Each agreement is conveniently linked below. The following are some of the key provisions in each of these agreements.
- The hospital cannot collect debt from the patient unless the applicable insurance company has been billed and given the opportunity to pay the claim, and there is a reasonable basis to believe the patient owes the bill.
- The hospital must offer a reasonable payment plan to patients who are unable to pay the full amount in one payment. The hospital may not refer a debt to a collection agency if the patient makes payments in accordance with the terms of a payment plan agreed to by the hospital.
- A patient must be given a reasonable opportunity to submit an application for financial assistance from the hospital.
- A hospital’s collection agency must forward all patients who object to the collection activity to the hospital. In other words, you have the right to speak with the hospital directly regarding your medical debt.
- The collection agency must cease collection activity, pending further review, if the patient states that: (1) he or she does not owe the bill; (2) the insurance company is obligated to pay the bill; or (3) the patient needs further documentation of the bill.
- For patients without insurance coverage, a hospital may not charge an uninsured patient more than the hospital would be reimbursed by its largest insurer for those with health insurance. In other words, an uninsured patient cannot be charged more than an insured patient.
Source: Minnesota Attorney General’s Website
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All Minnesota Hospital Agreements
- Aitkin Community Hospital dba Riverwood Healthcare Center – 2017
- Allina Health System – 2017 Appleton Municipal Hospital and Nursing Home – 2017
- Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center – 2017
- Avera Tyler Hospital – 2017
- Bigfork Valley Hospital – 2017
- CentraCare Health – 2017
- CHI St. Joseph’s Health – 2017
- Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of MN – 2017
- Chippewa County-Montevideo Hospital – 2017
- Community Memorial Hospital – 2017
- Cook County Hospital District dba North Shore Health – 2017
- Cook Hospital and Care Center – 2017
- Cuyuna Regional Medical Center – 2017
- Douglas County Hospital – 2017
- Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital – 2017
- Essentia Health – 2017
- Fairview Health Services – 2017
- FirstLight Health System – 2017
- Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare – 2017
- Glacial Ridge Health System – 2017
- Glencoe Regional Health Services – 2017
- Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital – 2017
- Granite Falls Municipal Hospital – 2017
- HealthEast Care System – 2017
- HealthPartners Lakeview Hospital – 2017
- HealthPartners Park Nicollet – 2017
- HealthPartners Regions Hospital – 2017
- Hendricks Community Hospital Association – 2017
- Hennepin Healthcare System – 2017
- Hutchinson Health – 2017
- Int’l Falls Memorial dba Rainey Lake Medical Center – 2017
- Johnson Memorial Health Services – 2017
- Kittson Memorial Healthcare Center – 2017
- Lake Region Healthcare Corporation – 2017
- Lake View Memorial Hospital – 2017
- LakeWood Health Center – 2017
- Lakewood Health System – 2017
- LifeCare Medical Center – 2017
- Madelia Community Hospital – 2017
- Madison Healthcare Services – 2017
- Mahnomen Health Center – 2017
- Mayo Clinic – 2017
- Meeker Memorial Hospital – 2017
- Mille Lacs Health System – 2017
- Minnesota Valley Health Center – 2017
- Moose Lake Community Hospital, Inc. – 2017
- Murray County Medical Center – 2017
- North Memorial – 2017
- North Valley Health Center – 2017
- Northfield Hospital and Clinics – 2017
- Olmsted Medical Center – 2017
- Ortonville Area Health Services – 2017
- Perham Health – 2017
- Pipestone County Medical Center Avera – 2017
- Prairie Ridge Hospital – 2017
- Redwood Area Hospital – 2017
- Renville County Hospital – 2017
- Rice Memorial Hospital – 2017
- Ridgeview Medical Center – 2017
- River’s Edge Hospital and Clinic – 2017
- RiverView Healthcare Association – 2017
- Saint Elizabeth’s Medical Center – 2017
- Sanford Health Network – 2017
- Sibley Medical Center – 2017
- Sleepy Eye Medical Center – 2017
- St. Francis Medical Center – 2017
- St. Luke’s Health Care System – 2017
- Stevens Community Medical Center – 2017
- Swift County-Benson Health Services – 2017
- Tri-County Healthcare – 2017
- United Hospital District – 2017
- Unity Family dba CHI St. Gabrial – 2017
- Windom Area Hospital – 2017
- Winona Health Services – 2017
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