RNs condemn health care cuts that endanger 600+ hospitals nationwide

The nation’s largest union of registered nurses, National Nurses United, has placed Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) in Minneapolis, MN on “RED ALERT” status, warning policymakers and the public that this potential hospital closure would have a drastic, irreversible impact on patients and healthcare workers across Minnesota and the Midwest.

This follows federal health care cuts under H.R. 1 that threaten more than 600 nonprofit and community hospitals nationwide. HCMC—one of Minnesota’s most critical safety-net and Level I trauma centers—is among those most at risk. Nurses warn that without immediate state and federal action, closure is no longer a hypothetical, it is imminent.

Hospitals across the Twin Cities already operate understaffed and over-capacity. Without HCMC, patients would be pushed into already crowded emergency rooms across the region, increasing wait times and delaying critical care. HCMC operates with the only 24/7, fully accredited, and permanent hyperbolic chamber–in addition to being a major teaching institution that trains future doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals.

Nearly 1,500 registered nurses work at HCMC and are members of Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) and National Nurses United (NNU). Nurses are urging elected officials to enact a long-term solution to maintain this state resource.

“Elected officials at every level need to prioritize protecting access to vital health care. HCMC is a cornerstone of Minnesota’s health care system and a lifeline for patients across the Midwest,” said Jeremy Olson-Ehlert, MNA Second Vice President and registered nurse at HCMC. “Without long-term solutions, this hospital—and the care thousands of patients rely on—is at risk. The time for temporary fixes is over.”

HCMC’s financial crisis puts into sharper focus the consequences of H.R. 1, which cut more than $1 trillion in federal funding to healthcare to give billionaires tax breaks, militarize immigration enforcement, and fund wars.

HCMC receives 81 percent of its funding from Medicaid and Medicare, making it especially vulnerable to the cuts that will take effect after the 2026 midterms.

‘RED ALERT’ status draws attention to hospitals in danger and shares the union nurse vision to make America healthy

In response to H.R. 1 and the unprecedented attack on public health, NNU – the nation’s largest union of registered nurses – has introduced a “RED ALERT” status to hospitals in danger of closing and union nurses’ alternative Vision for a Healthy Society. 

Hospitals that have been put on RED ALERT status have also been paired with a visit from the RED ALERT tour, which takes nurses’ alternative Vision for a Healthy Society directly to the patients and working-class communities they serve, with a community event and rally to build power and community support.

To date, the RED ALERT tour has visited communities in Glendale, Oceanside, and Alameda in California. Stay tuned for more information about a potential RED ALERT tour stop in Minneapolis as the first Midwestern stop.

National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States with more than 225,000 members nationwide. NNU affiliates include California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.