Detox - Revenue Recap 7-26-17

Are counties treating DETOX as medical care to this purpose?

Lisa Stadler
Accounting and Collections Supervisor
Rice County Social Services

507-384-6438

The Minnesota Department of Revenue would like to notify your agency about a 2016 legislative change that clarifies the income calculation and income thresholds that are used to evaluate whether a medical care debt may be submitted for Revenue Recapture.

Minnesota Statute § 270A.03, subd. 5, part (b) was amended to clarify:

  • Calculation of income includes the income of the debtor’s spouse
  • Debtor’s spouse is considered a dependent
  • Income levels have increased

This change is effective retroactively for debts incurred after December 31, 2014.

Please see the updates below that are underlined.

(b) A debt does not include any legal obligation to pay a claimant agency for medical care, including hospitalization if the income of the debtor at the time when the medical care was rendered does not exceed the following amount:
(1) for an unmarried debtor, an income of $12,560 or less;
(2) for a debtor with one dependent, an income of $16,080 or less;
(3) for a debtor with two dependents, an income of $19,020 or less;
(4) for a debtor with three dependents, an income of $21,580 or less;
(5) for a debtor with four dependents, an income of $22,760 or less; and
(6) for a debtor with five or more dependents, an income of $23,730 or less.

For purposes of this paragraph, "debtor" means the individual whose income, together with the income of the individual's spouse, other than a separated spouse, brings the individual within the income provisions of this paragraph. For purposes of this paragraph, a spouse, other than a separated spouse, shall be considered a dependent.

Please contact the Revenue Recapture Program if you have additional questions. We can be reached at 651-556-3037 or email us at revenue.recapture@state.mn.us.

3 comments:

chager@co.wabasha.mn.us said...

In Wabasha County we don't consider it medical because our county is paying for the service and we cannot claim it. We did have a vendor reimburse us after they sent it to the clients insurance. However when that client returned for another detox stay recently the insurance did not cover it at all.

Carrie Hager

Suzann Bakken said...

In Olmsted County our Detox facility isn't considered a medical facility. For revenue recapture it is considered a general claim.
Suzann Bakken

Mary Wacek said...

In MNPrairie we do not consider it medical. It is a general claim in RR.