FEDERAL BUDGET BILL COULD ‘DEVASTATE’ NORTH MEMORIAL HEALTH HOSPITAL

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act that was approved by Congress and signed into law by President Trump last week could potentially have a devastating impact on North Memorial Health Hospital in Robbinsdale, officials said Thursday.

 “This legislation is going to devastate the ability for North Memorial to stay afloat, and it might actually lead to the closing of crucial programs,” said U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota.

Omar held a news conference at a Minneapolis food shelf Thursday morning to give her views on the federal legislation.

She says it will kick 17 million Americans off their health care plans, including thousands in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District. The White House disputes those claims.

Omar said Medicaid reimbursement changes will prevent people from seeking preventive care and force them to seek emergency care when they’re sick. Hospitals like North Memorial, Omar said, will have to eat the cost of those visits because they won’t have access to Medicaid reimbursement.

“One of the things North Memorial was looking forward to was getting a direct support from Medicaid, just like HCMC gets, and that right now is out the door. That’s not going to be something that will be available to them,” said Omar. “I am really, extremely concerned about the sustainability and survival, of not just the services at North Memorial that people rely on, but its existence, being intact for the years to come.”

Last year, North Memorial CEO Trevor Sawallish said the impact from un-reimbursed and under-reimbursed care was projected to reach $100 million this year.