Hennepin Healthcare asks employees to pay part of health insurance costs to fill budget gap
Hennepin Healthcare faces a $127 million budget shortfall, but CEO Jennifer DeCuvelis says she has a budget proposal to close the gap.
“The 2024 budget is actually investing in bringing more paramedics, more nurses, more individuals closer to clinical care services, because these patient-facing roles are essential. Because we know that,” DeCuvelis said.
Mr. DeCuvelis said he expects a 6% revenue increase and will balance the budget by restructuring contracts with insurance and pharmaceutical companies and raising health insurance premiums by 5% for his 7,000 employees.
“Our health care workers are doing a great job right now. The real fundamental problem is that the funding for health care is not sustainable,” DeCuvelis said. “And you see that when you look at the national numbers and our own market. That’s not sustainable for anyone.”
Sam Erickson, vice president of the Hennepin County Paramedics Association, said that while health insurance premium increases are not out of the ordinary, deductibles and some prescription drugs are no longer available, his union and the Minnesota Nursing He said he has not received any support from the Teachers’ Association. .
“We feel betrayed, right? These members aren’t just emergency workers. They’re not just temporary workers, right?” Erickson said. “When the coronavirus pandemic hit, when everyone was working from home on Zoom calls, when people in our community were getting sick and dying, yes, I was there. It was them. They answered the phone and were going to go out in an ambulance.”
Jeremy Olson Ehrert, president of the Hennepin Healthcare Minnesota Nurses Association, said the increased deductibles and loss of some prescription drug coverage are tough to swallow financially.
“The benefits for us were very important. And losing them was a big blow for us. So our members are very united and ready to fight back.” said Olson Ehrt.
The full Hennepin County Commission is scheduled to vote on the Hennepin Health Care Budget on Tuesday.
