Officials tout Minnesota’s new law to ease medical debt

Well, top officials in Minnesota are hoping to get the word out. One of the state's newest laws could have an impact on your life and your debt. It all centers around the state's new Debt Fairness Act passed into law this past session. W. C. C. O. Is Adam Dexter joining us live from the state capital. So Adam, this new law just went into effect yesterday. What is it going to mean for people? Yeah, Pauline, the attorney general says it is going to be a big deal for a number of Minnesotans after his office found that more than half of Minnesotans have some form of medical debt. And now he and his office, along with other lawmakers, say it's just about spreading the word to those people that the rules under this new law are different than what they used to be. And there are some big changes here. The first is that medical debt can no longer be transferred to a spouse, meaning if your loved one passes while they're receiving care or after they've gotten care, you're no longer on the hook for their bills. Also, new hospitals, doctors and clinics anywhere you go for medical care can no longer deny you that care because of any existing medical debt. A third big change. Your medical debt can no longer be used to impact your credit score. The attorney general says, Well, he wasn't the one who crafted this law per se. He's behind implementing it 100%. People want to pay their medical bills. I've never met anybody who didn't want to try to pay any debt that they owe. But it's not fair when our debt systems punish people for getting sick or force people further into debt so they can pay so they can't pay for their family's essentials. And Pauline, the attorney general and other elected lawmakers say right now their goal is to try and help as many people as possible that are currently impacted by these rule changes. This upcoming Saturday, they're just doing just that. Rather, at North Point Health in Minneapolis will be hosting a free clinic just about all day long. It's drop in and we'll have access to lawyers you can sit down with for free that will help guide you through how this new law impacts any existing medical debt you have. Again, they say they want people to hear about these changes coming up tonight on the news at five. I'll tell you exactly who is impacted and how you can start taking advantage of these changes now that this law is in effect. Yeah, some huge changes underway here in Minnesota. Adam, thank you.