Minnesota hospital billing law requires providers to assist patients with financial difficulties

(St. Paul, MN) -- A new Minnesota law is making hospitals screen patients before registering them in payment plans or sending them to collections. 

The law is designed to help with medical debt by informing patients of financial assistance programs prior to registering them with payment plans or sending the bills to collections. The health systems will offer programs like "charity care" to help patients with low-income pay for medical expenses. 

Hospitals have 30 days to learn if the patients are eligible. The bills cannot be sent to collections until the hospital efforts to help the patient with registering for financial assistance programs.