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Health
Matt Sepic
Minneapolis

Allina halts policy denying non-emergency care to debtors

A brick building of a clinic
Allina Health clinic in Hastings, Minn.
Tony Webster | Flickr

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Allina Health promised Wednesday to no longer prohibit people with outstanding medical debt from making new appointments.

In June, the Minneapolis-based system put the practice on hold temporarily after a New York Times investigation revealed that the nonprofit health system refused to provide certain types of non-emergency care to patients with at least $4,500 in medical debt.

Allina said in a statement that after an extensive review, the system will “formally transition away” from the practice and will “engage our clinical teams and technology differently” to provide financial assistance to patients who need it.

Allina's announcement came a few hours ahead of a 5:30 p.m. public listening session on medical billing that Attorney General Keith Ellison scheduled at the Minnesota Department of Revenue building in St. Paul. Ellison also plans to hold a similar forum in Rochester on Sept. 12.

Ellison said in his own statement Wednesday that he's pleased with Allina’s new policy, but will continue to investigate the system’s “past conduct and future practices."