Mayo Clinic has given [Minnesota's governor] and state lawmakers an ultimatum over two bills that aim to increase nurse staffing levels and rein in health care costs: Gut the bills or the nonprofit hospital will pull billions in planned investments out of the state.
In an email to DFL legislative leaders and [the governor]’s office on Wednesday, a Mayo Clinic executive said the non-profit is reconsidering its plans for new facilities and infrastructure that are “four times the size of the investment in U.S. Bank Stadium” — a $1.1 billion project. And their decision is “time sensitive” and will be made in a matter of days.
“Because these bills continue to proceed without meaningful and necessary changes to avert their harms to Minnesotans, we cannot proceed with seeking approval to make this investment in Minnesota. We will need to direct this enormous investment to other states”
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Mayo Clinic, the state’s largest private employer with over 48,000 workers
Mayo's ire is focused on a nurse staffing proposal promoted by the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA), the union that represents nurses at most Twin Cities and Duluth hospitals. The legislation would require hospitals to set up committees — with nurses making up 35% of the membership — to set staffing levels that protect patient care and reduce nurses' workloads.
Mayo has sought an exemption, arguing that it has a real-time, electronic staffing system that is more sensitive to patient and nurse needs than a periodic committee.