Hennepin Healthcare workers push lawmakers to shore up support for hospital at risk of closure

Nurses and physicians at Hennepin Healthcare in downtown Minneapolis, home to the first level-one and busiest trauma center in Minnesota, on Wednesday urged the state Legislature to throw the hospital a lifeline — and fast. 

Hennepin County Commissioner Jeffrey Lunde told WCCO Radio that the hospital could close in June if changes don't come soon to improve its financial outlook. 

Hennepin County Medical Center has already cut five departments and reduced 100 beds. 

Still, leaders told state lawmakers last month that there is a projected operating loss of $40 million to $50 million for this fiscal year and a wider funding gap is looming with Medicaid changes set to take effect from the so-called "one big, beautiful bill."

"We want to continue to provide this care for our community and the surrounding areas, but we can't do it without support," Dr. Nicole Lund, a third-year emergency medicine resident at Hennepin Healthcare, told reporters at a news conference Wednesday. "Safety net hospitals matter. Our patients matter, and physicians and other healthcare workers like those that you see up here matter. When we protect Hennepin, we protect the health and dignity of our entire community."

Lund and others said there would be dire consequences that have a ripple effect beyond the most populous county if HCMC closes, impacting other hospitals and patients elsewhere. 

Between 2020 and 2024, according to the hospital's data, 40% of patients who received trauma or specialty care lived outside of the county. 

"There is no backup plan. There is no extra capacity, and there is no other place for these patients to go because HCMC is not just a Minneapolis hospital. It's Minnesota's safety net," said Jeremy Olson-Ehlert, a nurse with the Minnesota Nurses Association who works at HCMC.

Proposal to extend the local sales tax funding Target Field to close the gap

The leading idea to help the hospital is extending a sales tax that funded Target field construction and boosting it from 0.15% to 1% to bring in even more revenue.

But there haven't been any bills heard at the Capitol yet, though leaders acknowledge the problem and say they are discussing it. 

"Allina hospitals, the Fairview hospitals, North Memorial all are experiencing financial pressures because the Trump administration has just gutted the health care system by what they've done on Medicaid," Rep. Zack Stephenson, the House DFL leader, told reporters last month. "So everyone across the state should realize that the combined hit of Trump's Medicaid cuts and the closure of HCMC would be catastrophic for hospitals. We can't allow it to happen."

WCCO has learned that there will be legislation likely introduced next week to address the issue. With a tied House where Republicans and Democrats share power, any proposal will need bipartisan buy-in to pass.

When asked if she would support authorizing a sales tax extension, which Hennepin County would need the Legislature's approval to do, GOP House Speaker Lisa Demuth said her caucus is "not really at a point yet" to make that decision. 

"As we're looking across the board as far as the help that hospitals need right now, that is part of the issues that we see," Demuth told reports recently. "There is a lot of work that HCMC needs to do internally still to make the changes that they need to make themselves able to continue on in the work that they're doing."

The health care workers who spoke out on Wednesday said they were concerned that there hadn't been action on any plan at the Capitol so far this session. 

They are pushing for whatever help the hospital can get. 

"We want what's best for the residents of Minnesota so that our hospital continues to stay open and can care for the patients of Minnesota," said Olson-Ehlert. "So whatever assistance that can come forward from the state is whatever is best for Minnesota, and that's what I think [the Minnesota Nurses Association] would support."