1. Purpose

This policy ensures compliance with Minnesota Statute §62J.806 & §62J.807 and the Minnesota Debt Fairness Act by prohibiting the denial of medically necessary health treatment or services due to outstanding medical debt. This policy is designed to ensure that all patients receive the necessary medical care they require, irrespective of their financial situation, and to comply with Minnesota’s legal requirements regarding medical debt.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all patients seeking medically necessary health treatment or services at Northern Minnesota Eye Care, including patients with current or previous outstanding medical debt.

3. Policy Statement

Northern Minnesota Eye Care shall not deny medically necessary health treatment or services to any patient or their family or household members based on current or past outstanding medical debt owed to the facility. This applies regardless of whether the treatment or service may be available from another provider.

4. Financial Assistance and Payment Plans

In accordance with Minnesota law, Northern Minnesota Eye Care may require patients to enroll in a reasonable payment plan for any outstanding medical debt. Such plans will:

• Be based on the patient’s ability to pay, considering disclosed financial information.
• Include provisions for patients to communicate if they are unable to make agreed-upon payments, allowing for adjustments to the payment plan.

Patients will be informed of their right to apply for financial assistance programs and will be provided with necessary information and support to do so.

5. Compliance with Minnesota Debt Fairness Act

This policy is in alignment with the Minnesota Debt Fairness Act, effective October 1, 2024, which:

• Prohibits the denial of medically necessary care due to unpaid medical bills.
• Bans the practice of transferring a deceased patient’s medical debt to a surviving spouse.
• Prohibits reporting unpaid medical bills to credit bureaus.
• Establishes strong protections against unethical medical debt collection practices.
• Requires medical providers to publish their medical debt collection practices.
• Creates a process for patients to dispute medical coding and billing errors.

Northern Minnesota Eye Care commits to upholding these provisions and ensuring that all patients have access to necessary medical care without discrimination based on financial circumstances.

6. Responsibilities

• Healthcare Providers: Ensure that medically necessary care is provided to all patients, regardless of their financial situation.
• Financial Services Department: Assist patients in understanding and applying for financial assistance programs and setting up payment plans.
• Patient Services: Inform patients of their rights under this policy and provide support in accessing necessary services.

7. Enforcement

Any employee found to be in violation of this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination, in accordance with Northern Minnesota Eye Care’s personnel policies.

8. Review and Revision

This policy shall be reviewed annually and revised as necessary to ensure continued compliance with applicable laws and regulations.