Struggling Minnesota Hospital, Facing Imminent Closure, Seeks State’s Help
Hennepin County Medical Center has faced a string of financial hardships, and changes in Medicare eligibility under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act could cause even more stress. A proposed tax increase, if passed by the Legislature, might stave off a June closure of the safety-net hospital.
MinnPost:
Minneapolis Medical Center's Survival Threatened
As a dire financial outlook has pushed Minneapolis’ Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) to the brink of closure, health care workers and union leaders are calling for legislative action. HCMC, part of the larger Hennepin Healthcare provider system, is Minnesota’s busiest Level 1 adult and pediatric trauma center. It is also a safety-net hospital, meaning it accepts patients regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay, and has been a training site for more than half of Minnesota’s practicing physicians. (Robinson, 4/7)
KARE11:
North Memorial Hospital Needs The Same Kind Of Help As HCMC, But Will It Get It?
Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) isn't the only level one trauma center in the area that's struggling financially. North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale has been sounding the alarm for several years, but despite sharing so many similarities with HCMC, it has never gotten any kind of extra financial help. (Hoff, 4/7)
KARE11:
If HCMC Closes, Pennsylvania Knows All Too Well What Will Happen Next
The large, safety-net hospital in Minneapolis is facing a huge deficit, but the proposal is getting mixed reviews from lawmakers. Hospital leaders say without any help from the state, it could start to close by June. People in Pennsylvania know that situation all too well when five major hospitals closed within six years. "We really believed that it couldn't be possible," said Peggy Monroe, who worked at Crozer-Chester Medical Center for 38 years, which was shuttered in 2025. (Hoff, 4/6)
More news from Minnesota —
CBS News:
Minneapolis City Council Holds Hearing On Ordinance That Would Decriminalize Drug Paraphernalia
The Minneapolis City Council on Tuesday morning debated for two hours over a proposed ordinance that would decriminalize drug paraphernalia. Councilmember Jason Chavez authored the ordinance, writing on social media that "it will ensure our local laws are in compliance with state law while also centering the humanity of our shared community. (Grams, 4/7)
CBS News:
EMT Attacked By Patient Raises Concerns About Violence Against Hospital Staff
Video from inside Ridges Hospital in Burnsville, Minnesota, shows a violent attack captured on camera. A patient runs into the hall with a bed rail swinging it at people. That was just the beginning. In all, four people were hurt in the February attack. Only one has returned to work full-time. Now one man is sharing his story with WCCO Senior Investigative Reporter Jennifer Mayerle, who found attacks like this don't happen every day, but they are happening more often than they used to. (Mayerle, 4/7)
In other health news from across the U.S. —
CBS News:
Georgia Lawmakers Pass Sickle Cell Disease Protection Act, Expanding Care For Thousands Statewide
A major step forward for sickle cell care in Georgia is now awaiting the governor's signature. On the final day of the 2026 legislative session, lawmakers passed House Bill 334 — known as the "Sickle Cell Disease Protection Act" — a measure designed to expand treatment access and modernize care for thousands of Georgians living with the condition. (Bynum, 4/7)
Honolulu Civil Beat:
Hawaiʻi Weighs Shorter Probation, Lighter Punishment For Drugs
Hawaiʻi has the longest average probation terms in the country — more than double the national average — something lawmakers appear poised to change this year as part of a broader slate of revisions to the state’s criminal code. State and national research has shown that a large percentage of people don’t reoffend while on probation, and most people who do commit another crime while under court-ordered supervision do so within the first year. (Thompson, 4/7)
Verite News New Orleans:
New Orleans Health, Environment Officials Consider Plans To Clean Up Toxic Lead In Playgrounds
After an investigation by Verite News revealed pervasive lead contamination in playgrounds across New Orleans, city officials have requested federal funding to help address the problem. At an April 1 panel discussion hosted by Verite to highlight the reporting, Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services Dr. Jennifer Avegno said city officials recently requested $5 million from Congress to pay for additional lead testing and possible cleanup of playgrounds with elevated levels of lead. (Parker, 4/7)
San Francisco Chronicle:
The Supreme Court Embraced Conversion Therapy. California Has A Plan
It took Shannon Minter a moment to see the upside in the Supreme Court blowing up conversion therapy bans in California and half the country. On March 31, the court held that a 2019 Colorado law barring licensed counselors from trying to change children’s sexual orientations or gender identities violated a Christian therapist’s religious speech. (Hosseini, 4/7)
The New York Times:
The Hamptons Has a Bird Flu Problem
This winter, hundreds of dead geese fell around Georgica Pond. No one knew how to dispose of the infected bodies, so a local landscaper just winged it. (Bernstein, 4/8)
