Minneapolis' Hennepin County Medical Center Faces Closure Threat

Staff and leaders call for state action to save Minnesota's busiest Level 1 trauma center and safety-net hospital.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 8:42pm

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An extreme close-up of the translucent, glowing internal structure of a hospital bed frame or medical equipment, conceptually illustrating the fragile state of Hennepin County Medical Center's vital role in the state's health care system.A ghostly X-ray view of the critical infrastructure that keeps Minnesota's largest safety-net hospital operational, now threatened by financial crisis.Minneapolis Today

Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC), Minnesota's busiest Level 1 adult and pediatric trauma center and a critical safety-net hospital, is facing up to $50 million in operating losses in 2026 and $1.7 billion in losses over the next 10 years. Health care workers and union leaders are calling for legislative action to save the hospital from closure, which could come as soon as June if the state does not intervene.

Why it matters

HCMC is not just a Minneapolis hospital, but Minnesota's last line of care, serving as a vital safety net for uninsured and publicly insured patients. Its closure would overwhelm other major trauma centers in the Twin Cities and significantly increase emergency department wait times across the state.

The details

HCMC, part of the Hennepin Healthcare provider system, has been facing financial hardships due to factors like the shutdown of Minnesota-based health insurer UCare, which owes the hospital $115 million, and the high cost of treating uninsured or publicly insured patients. Upcoming changes to Medicaid eligibility under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are expected to further exacerbate HCMC's challenges, with an estimated 140,000 Minnesotans at risk of losing their health coverage in the coming decade.

  • In 2025, HCMC saw nearly 115,000 patients, including more than 94,000 emergency department visits.
  • In February 2026, HCMC cut its beds by 100, to 390 total.
  • In January 2026, the hospital stopped accepting most non-emergency transfers from outside of Hennepin County.
  • The current legislative session in Minnesota ends on May 18, 2026.
  • If the state does not intervene by the end of the legislative session, HCMC would begin closing in June 2026.

The players

Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC)

Minnesota's busiest Level 1 adult and pediatric trauma center and a safety-net hospital that accepts patients regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.

Hennepin Healthcare

The larger provider system that HCMC is a part of.

Jeremy Olson-Ehlert

A registered nurse at HCMC and second vice president of the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA).

Jeffrey Lunde

Hennepin County Commissioner and chair of the Hennepin Health Board.

Minnesota Department of Human Services

Conducted an analysis showing that about 140,000 Minnesotans are at risk of losing their health coverage in the coming decade due to changes to Medicaid eligibility.

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What they’re saying

“HCMC is not just a Minneapolis hospital. It's Minnesota's safety net. It is Minnesota's last line of care.”

— Jeremy Olson-Ehlert, Registered nurse at HCMC and second vice president of the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA)

“Patients will wait significantly longer in emergency departments, and hospitals across Minnesota will lose a partner that they rely on. There is no backup plan, there is no extra capacity, and there is no other place for these patients to go.”

— Jeremy Olson-Ehlert, Registered nurse at HCMC and second vice president of the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA)

“We're not only a safety net hospital for patients, we're also a safety net hospital for other hospitals.”

— Jeffrey Lunde, Hennepin County Commissioner and chair of the Hennepin Health Board

What’s next

A bill to repurpose Hennepin County's 0.15% sales tax used to pay off bonds for the Minnesota Twins stadium into a 1% tax that would generate about $340 million annually for HCMC is expected to be introduced in the Minnesota House on Tuesday, April 11, 2026. The bill will be introduced by a member of the DFL Party with a Republican co-signer.

The takeaway

The potential closure of Hennepin County Medical Center, Minnesota's busiest Level 1 trauma center and a critical safety-net hospital, would have devastating consequences for the state's health care system. Lawmakers must act quickly to secure the necessary funding to keep this vital institution operational and ensure all Minnesotans have access to quality emergency and trauma care.