Allina To Stop Withholding Medical Care From Patients In Debt

Allina Health will end its policy of withholding clinic appointments from patients who have significant medical debt after the practice attracted national media attention in recent months.

The New York Times in June reported that Allina, which draws $4 billion annually in revenue, denied appointments to patients who owed a debt of $4,500 or more in clinic services. If patients accrued $1,500 or more in hospital debt three times, they were also denied care, according to the Times. The policy did not apply to emergency room visits but included children and refused patients until their debt was paid, the Times reported.

Allina announced “a thoughtful pause” of the policy in the days after the Times article was published. In a statement dated Thursday, the provider confirmed it was ending the practice.

“Our policy that interrupted the scheduling of non-emergency, outpatient clinic care for patients who do not engage after significant outreach to support the resolution of their medical debt has been extensively reviewed,” the statement said.

“We have determined there are opportunities to engage our clinical teams and technology differently to provide financial assistance resources for patients who need this support. We will formally transition away from our policy that interrupted the scheduling of non-emergency, outpatient clinic care.”

Attorney General Keith Ellison announced last week his office was investigating Allina’s billing practices.

“I continue to be concerned about reports of Allina denying needed non-emergency medical care solely on the basis of medical debt,” Ellison said in a news release. “Allina is bound under the Hospital Agreement to refrain from oppressive billing practices and provide charity care when patients need and qualify for it, as all Minnesota hospitals are.”

Billing policies such as Allina's are not uncommon, with around 20 percent of hospitals across the country having similar practices in place, according to the Times.