Hospital leaders from several public hospitals in the state said in the report that they are considering cutting services that have been a “tremendous benefit to the community,” due to budget constraints.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently cut the state’s General Assistance Medical Care program, which provided health coverage to approximately 35,000 poor adults in the state in an attempt to close a $2.7 billion state budget deficit. The state’s hospital association estimates that this cut will reduce funding to hospitals by $220 million in 2011 and 2012.
Services including mental health programs, burn units, specialized trauma teams and education programs and in jeopardy and layoffs and pay cuts are likely, according to the report.
Hospital leaders are expected to make final decisions regarding the cuts in upcoming months as they prepare their budgets for the coming fiscal year.
Read the Star Tribune’s report on the Minnesota public hospital cuts (note: this report is no longer available on the Star Tribune’s website).
