ICYMI: Many of Minnesota’s hospitals are in distress and have not recovered financially from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Star Tribune discussed the causes and ongoing challenges with leaders from hospitals across the state. From the article:
Minnesota has emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic with a fragile network of hospitals at risk for closure and vulnerable to cuts in government aid. Thirty-one of 127 Minnesota hospitals were financially distressed after 2023, meaning they had lost money on operations in four of the prior eight years. Another eight hospitals were one bad year away from being distressed, while others.
Import tariffs could also raise the cost of essential drugs and equipment hospitals can’t acquire domestically, but state leaders are particularly worried about cuts to Medicaid. The state-federal program provides health benefits to 20% of Minnesotans, up from 15% a decade ago.
