Allina Health Pauses Policy of Cutting Off Care for Patients in Debt
Allina Health, a large nonprofit health system based in Minnesota, announced on Friday that it would stop withholding care from patients with outstanding medical debt as it “re-examines” its policy of cutting off services for those who have accrued at least $4,500 in outstanding bills.
The health system will now temporarily halt this practice but will not restore care for indebted patients who have already lost access.
Although Allina’s hospitals treated anyone in emergency rooms, other services were cut off for indebted patients, including children and those with chronic illnesses like diabetes and depression, The New York Times reported last week. Patients weren’t allowed back until they had paid off their debt entirely.
Allina’s chief executive, Lisa Shannon, called the move a “thoughtful pause” while the company re-examined the policy.
Source: The New York Times
