50-state desk · MN
Minnesota
Process / partialNo FPL write-off floor — and Minnesota hospitals are among the least charitable by operating-budget share. But hospitals must post FAPs, screen, and may not send a bill to collections until the charity-care determination is made. Care cannot be denied for outstanding debt. The Attorney General has hospital-specific agreements (including Mayo). Medical debt is barred from credit reports.
Minn. Stat. §§ 144.587–144.589 · compiled October 2026
| Rule | This state |
|---|---|
| Free-care floor | — |
| Discount / eligibility floor | — |
| Covers insured patients | Yes, if they otherwise qualify |
| Which hospitals | Generally all licensed hospitals |
| Medicaid expansion | Yes — adults to 138% FPL |
| Screen before collections | Yes |
| Credit reports | Statewide ban (FCRA-preemption fights ongoing) |
| Debt sales | Not banned |
| Home liens | Not banned |
| Wage garnishment | Tighter than the federal 25% cap |
| Interest on medical debt | No special cap located |
| Collection hold | No extra state waiting period |
| Lawsuit clock | 6 years · Minn. Stat. § 541.05 |
2026 poverty line here
Alaska and Hawaii use their own HHS tables. Everyone else uses the 48-state and D.C. figures, effective January 2026.
| Household | 100% | Free floor | Discount floor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $15,960 | — | — |
| 2 | $21,640 | — | — |
| 3 | $27,320 | — | — |
| 4 | $33,000 | — | — |
| 5 | $38,680 | — | — |
| 6 | $44,360 | — | — |
What to do
- 01 Minnesota does not force a 200% write-off. Download that specific hospital’s FAP — they vary wildly.
- 02 No collections until they decide your charity-care eligibility, and they cannot deny care for old balances. Cite 144.587.
- 03 If the hospital is Mayo or a system under an AG agreement, attach that agreement’s charity terms.
- 04 Medical debt should not be on a Minnesota credit report.
Appeals
Federal No Surprises Act.
Insurance: Minnesota Department of Commerce — external review
Medicaid: DHS fair hearing (Medical Assistance / MinnesotaCare).
Medicare is federal regardless of state: redetermination, reconsideration, ALJ, Appeals Council, then district court.
Cite this in a letter
I request screening and a FAP determination under Minn. Stat. §§ 144.587–144.589. Please do not send this account to collections until my financial-assistance determination is made, and do not deny care because of an outstanding balance.
Put a Minnesota bill in the machine.
The estimate will use this state’s floors. The letters will cite Minn. Stat. §§ 144.587–144.589.
Start a Minnesota caseFederal overlay — every state
501(r)
501(c)(3) hospital organizations must publish a Financial Assistance Policy, a plain-language summary, and generally may not take extraordinary collection actions (selling the debt, reporting it, liens, lawsuits) until they have made reasonable efforts to determine FAP eligibility.
Official sourceNo Surprises Act
Emergency services, air ambulance, and many out-of-network clinicians at in-network facilities cannot balance-bill beyond in-network cost-sharing. Independent dispute resolution is between the plan and the provider — not a reason to pay the sticker rate.
Official sourceFDCPA
15 U.S.C. § 1692g. Within 30 days of first collector contact, demand validation. Until it is validated, the collector should stop collecting. Partial payment can restart a state’s statute of limitations.
Official sourceEMTALA
Emergency departments must screen and stabilize regardless of ability to pay. An ER bill is not an agreement that chargemaster rates are the cash price.
Official sourceMedicare appeals
Five levels: redetermination (MAC, 120 days), reconsideration (QIC), ALJ at OMHA, Medicare Appeals Council, then federal district court. A remaining patient balance is often a claim the provider still needs to work.
Official sourceCredit bureaus
The CFPB’s 2025 medical-debt reporting rule was vacated in July 2025. Industry practice still generally omits paid medical collections and unpaid balances under $500. Unpaid medical debt over $500 can appear after a delay unless a state ban applies. FCRA-preemption fights over those state bans are ongoing.
Official source
Sources
Official government sources for the Minnesota information on this page. UNDUE does not represent any government entity.
- Minn. Stat. 144.587 (screening, charity care, no collections referral before determination)
- Minn. Stat. 144.588 (expert-review affidavit before collection suits or garnishment)
- Minn. Stat. 144.589 (billing of uninsured patients)
- Minn. Stat. 62J.807 (no denial of care for outstanding medical debt)
- Minn. Stat. 332C.03 (medical debt reporting prohibited)
- Minn. Stat. 541.05 (lawsuit clock: 6 years)
- Minn. Stat. 571.922 (earnings garnishment exemption)
- Minnesota Department of Commerce (external review)
- Minnesota DHS (appeals and fair hearings)
- Minnesota Attorney General
- 2026 federal poverty guidelines (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, published on HealthCare.gov)
- Medicaid and CHIP by state (HealthCare.gov)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1673 federal wage-garnishment cap (GovInfo)