As Minnesotans filed their income tax returns Monday, a coalition of community, faith and labor organizations called on Twin Cities hospitals to live up to their non-profit, tax-exempt status by providing affordable health insurance for employees, which they say would relieve taxpayers and improve the health of our communities.
"Non-profit hospitals have a responsibility to their employees and to taxpayers," said Matt Gladue, executive director of the Twin Cities Religion and Labor Network and chair of Healthcare FACT. "They can meet that responsibility by providing affordable health insurance ? because it not only benefits employees and their families, but it benefits the community as well."
Citing revenues in excess of expenses in the tens of millions of dollars for each of five Twin Cities hospital systems, including HealthEast, Fairview, North Memorial, Children's and Methodist, the coalition said hospitals shift the cost of employee healthcare onto taxpayers by increasing out-of-pocket costs and then forcing employees to obtain health care from other employers, public health care programs, or become uninsured.
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"As health care workers, affordable health insurance is important because we need to protect our families and the patients in our care," said Lori Theim-Busch, who works as a phlebotomist/EKG technician at North Memorial. "But right now, our employers are putting their bottom line ahead of the community ? and that needs to change."
The coalition joined members of SEIU Local 113, who were holding an informational picket in front of HealthEast-owned Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul. The hospital employees continue to work without a contract after their employers declared bargaining at an impasse in March. Unfair Labor Practice charges are pending with the National Labor Relations Board.
Healthcare FACT is a coalition of community, faith and labor organizations, including the Twin Cities Religion and Labor Network, Take Action Minnesota, MPIRG, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 113.
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As Minnesotans filed their income tax returns Monday, a coalition of community, faith and labor organizations called on Twin Cities hospitals to live up to their non-profit, tax-exempt status by providing affordable health insurance for employees, which they say would relieve taxpayers and improve the health of our communities.
“Non-profit hospitals have a responsibility to their employees and to taxpayers,” said Matt Gladue, executive director of the Twin Cities Religion and Labor Network and chair of Healthcare FACT. “They can meet that responsibility by providing affordable health insurance ? because it not only benefits employees and their families, but it benefits the community as well.”
Citing revenues in excess of expenses in the tens of millions of dollars for each of five Twin Cities hospital systems, including HealthEast, Fairview, North Memorial, Children’s and Methodist, the coalition said hospitals shift the cost of employee healthcare onto taxpayers by increasing out-of-pocket costs and then forcing employees to obtain health care from other employers, public health care programs, or become uninsured.
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“As health care workers, affordable health insurance is important because we need to protect our families and the patients in our care,” said Lori Theim-Busch, who works as a phlebotomist/EKG technician at North Memorial. “But right now, our employers are putting their bottom line ahead of the community ? and that needs to change.”
The coalition joined members of SEIU Local 113, who were holding an informational picket in front of HealthEast-owned Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul. The hospital employees continue to work without a contract after their employers declared bargaining at an impasse in March. Unfair Labor Practice charges are pending with the National Labor Relations Board.
Healthcare FACT is a coalition of community, faith and labor organizations, including the Twin Cities Religion and Labor Network, Take Action Minnesota, MPIRG, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 113.