Following widespread outcry from providers and state lawmakers, the Minnesota Department of Human Services said it will lift payment suspensions for providers who filed an appeal, according to a memo sent to providers and obtained by MPR News on Wednesday.

Any providers who submitted an appeal by June 9 will have their payment suspension lifted by the end of the day on June 11, the agency said in the memo.

As part of the state’s agreement with the federal government’s Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Department of Human Services was required to revalidate nearly 5,600 providers of high-risk Medicaid programs by May 31. According to data released last week, the agency disenrolled more than 3,400 providers, about sixty percent, the majority due to incomplete paperwork and documentation.

Previously, the human services department said disenrolled providers would not be able to receive payment during the appeal process. Many providers raised concerns that they would be forced to close, putting vulnerable Minnesotans who rely on Medicaid at risk.

“What’s at risk are lives of Minnesotans and in retaining quality care here in the state,” said Mike Beltowsky, vice president of program development at Horowitz Integrated Services, a substance use and mental health provider that was disenrolled.

Collected from Minnesota Public Radio News. View original source here.