Update from the Road:The city of Rochester is really impressive, particularly in the downtown area. From the civic center, to the library, the public investments in this city really make the downtown area striking. But what made all of this possible was an innovative and thriving medical community around which other sectors have organized. The world-leading facilities down here attract people from all over (we’ll save health care access and other issues for another post) the world seeking help. These unallotments really begin to chip away at that status. They take a successful and thriving model and begin to build in more uncompensated care and erode the base of not only the hospital system, but the community at large, through which these sorts of investments in these impressive facilities is possible.

According to the Minnesota Hospital Association, the medical facilities I mention will all lose significant funding from Governor Pawlenty’s elimination of General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC).

St. Mary’s Hospital will lose $15,012,274

Rochester Methodist Hospital will lose $4,400,642

Olmsted Medical Center will lose $917,403

Mayo Psychiatry and Psychology will lose $1,355,711

All together, those hospitals will lose over $21 million courtesy of Governor Pawlenty’s cuts. People do not stop needing care because we are in a recession, and denying poor childless adults GAMC simply means those people will end up sicker and in the emergency room. Help us make sure Minnesota doesn’t just survive these tough economic times, but thrives, by sharing how you or your community are affected by reckless budget cuts.