(ST. PAUL, Minn) – May 13, 2026 – After months of advocacy, nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association are calling an agreement around new state funding for Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) a victory that stabilizes the hospital and protects patient care statewide.
HCMC is Minnesota’s busiest Level I trauma center and a primary safety-net hospital, serving patients from across the state and region.
“Nurses have spent this legislative session making it clear what HCMC means for patients and communities across Minnesota,” said Jeremy Olson-Ehlert, RN, HCMC Tri-Chair and Second Vice President of MNA. “This funding stabilizes the hospital and protects access to care. Lawmakers acted at a critical moment, and this must be the foundation for a long-term solution that reflects this hospital’s role as a statewide asset.”
This funding provides immediate stability for HCMC and safeguards access to care. It reflects a clear understanding of the hospital’s importance to Minnesota’s healthcare system. At the same time, lawmakers must build on this progress with long-term solutions that reflect HCMC’s role as a statewide asset.
“This funding gives us the stability we need to keep experienced nurses at the bedside and continue caring for patients who depend on HCMC,” said Janell Johnson Thiele, RN and HCMC Tri-Chair. “When nurses leave the bedside, patients lose access. This keeps care in place for Minnesotans who depend on this hospital. We must continue to seek permanent funding solutions.”
Without HCMC, patients across Minnesota would face longer transport times, reduced access to specialized care, and increased strain on already full emergency departments.
Additional pressures are ahead, including the impacts of H.R.1 and other federal healthcare policy changes that will strain hospital funding and make it harder for hospitals like HCMC to keep their doors open. This funding protects immediate access to patient care, but it must be the foundation for long-term solutions. Sustaining HCMC — and hospitals facing similar challenges across Minnesota — will require continued action from lawmakers.
