Minnesota clergy are calling on state legislators to save Minnesota's last remaining public safety-net hospital, HCMC.
Faith leaders from around the state gathered at the state capitol sharing personal accounts of life-saving care provided by the level one trauma center, arguing that the hospital's unique mission to treat everyone regardless of their ability to pay is a lifeline for many Minnesotans.
"HCMC is a linchpin of our collective health here in Minnesota," said Pastor at First Congregational Church, Reverend Jane McBride. "And even in surrounding states, and I worry that its closure could cause the collapse of the entire network that we all depend on."
The group is now mobilizing congregations across the state to push lawmakers for a permanent funding solution before the hospital's projected shutdown in June.
"To be clear, this is a policy crisis and it is a moral crisis about how we care for our neighbors," says Senior Minister of Unity Church in St. Paul Rev. Dr. Oscar Sinclair. "And so, we need the state government here in Minnesota to find a way to keep this vital resource in our community."
The group also met with legislators to discuss potential policy solutions and financial support to stabilize the hospital's future, though there is still no word on an official plan.
Hennepin County officials say the multi-million dollar deficit will force the hospital system to close if more funding is not provided. One solution lawmakers are considering is using a sales tax created for the development, construction and public infrastructure of Target Field, channeling some of its proceeds to grants for Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) in downtown Minneapolis and the hospitals of North Memorial Health in Robbinsdale and Maple Grove.
Other hospital systems in the metro have been warning the closure of HCMC would create similar financial issues for them as well.
