State leaders continue to investigate medical claims throughout Minnesota and would love to hear about your experience with medical claims.
Early Friday afternoon, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced that his office was investigating Alina Health’s billing practices.
Ellison’s office cited previous reports that the hospital had terminated non-emergency care for patients with medical debt under end-of-treatment policies. Her office further said Alina suspended her treatment end policy on June 9.
Alina allegedly forced the policy on people with “relatively small debts” and also involved some patients with chronic illnesses who depended on ongoing care.
Since 2005, the Attorney General’s Office has led the hospital agreement, which protects Minnesotans who receive care at all 128 hospitals in the state from behavior deemed to be abuse, harassment, or deception when collecting medical debt. there is It also prohibits unfair billing and collection practices, requires hospitals to offer discounts on services to certain patients, and requires hospitals to offer payment plans to all patients. Ellison’s office renewed the contract for another five years in July.
The following prepared statement was released regarding the Ellison investigation:
“I continue to be concerned about reports that Alina is denying necessary non-emergency medical care solely because of medical debt. We have a duty to refrain from heavy billing and to provide charity care when the patient needs and is entitled to it. It hurts all Minnesotans, Alina patients or not.My office has heard from numerous Alina patients who have shared their own disturbing stories of being denied treatment for this reason. If anyone has experience with these practices, or is familiar with these practices, please continue to contact my office so that we can determine the extent of the problem and whether any laws or treaties have been violated. I continue to encourage you to contact
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison
Ellison also said the company will hold public hearing sessions in the coming weeks to hear from consumers about their experience with medical billing with Alina and other providers.
Two public listening sessions will be held. The first will be held on August 23 from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm in Room 2000 of the Minnesota Department of Revenue Building in St. Paul. The second will be held on September 12th from 5:30pm to 7:00pm at the Heinz Center at Rochester Community & Technical College.
You don’t have to register in advance to speak at the St. Paul Listening Sessions, but you can do so by: Please click here.
If you are unable to attend one of these sessions, you can also visit the Attorney General’s Booth at the Minnesota State Fair in the Education Building on Cosgrove Street to share your medical billing and access experiences with staff. You can also fill out an online form. Please click here, or call 651-296-3353 if you live in the Twin Cities metro area. If you live in the Minnesota metropolitan area, please call 800-657-3787.
