White Earth will Not Need to Pay $14 Million Billing Error

WHITE EARTH (KDLM) – White Earth will not have to pay funds to the Minnesota Department of Human Services after a lengthy dispute was resolved this week.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed the Health and Human Services Omnibus bill, HF33, into law this week. The bill included language that settles an on-going dispute between White Earth and the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) regarding billing for medication-assisted treatment programs.

In 2019, DHS alleged that White Earth’s MOMS/MAT Program overbilled for services provided from 2017 to 2019 in excess of $14 million. White Earth maintained that it was not at fault for the billing error and that it was simply relying on guidance from DHS when submitting billing claims.

The action taken by the Legislature and the Governor resolves the matter and White Earth will not have to pay funds to DHS. “We are very happy with the action taken by Minnesota leaders to finally address this longstanding issue,” White Earth Reservation Business Committee Chairman Michael Fairbanks said.

White Earth worked with Governor Walz and the Minnesota Legislature to appropriate the funds necessary to cover the error.