Started more than 30 years ago, the 340B drug pricing programs give some of the most financially stressed hospitals the proceeds of a federally mandated drug discount program. Those savings are turned into a variety of supports for patients and hospitals, at least for now. In this episode, Justin Ott, with SunRx, talks about how the program started, how it works and what changes are looming for this essential funding source for care providers. (SunRx is a third-party admnistrator that manages the discount pharmacy transactions hospitals and health systems.)

Host: Tim Nelson, Minnesota Hospital Association

Guest: Justin Ott, SunRx

The government shutdown has ended following a budget deal that extends some health care policy, but leaves unresolved the future of expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits. In this episode of Hospital Matters, we talk with Becky Wifstrand, the Minnesota Hospital Association's Director of Federal Policy and Regulatory Affairs, about the end of the shutdown and what's next in Washington.

Host: Tim Nelson, Minnesota Hospital Association

Guest: Becky Wifstrand, Minnesota Hospital Association

Minnesota is struggling to maintain health care services, as hundreds of doctors head for retirement every year and hospitals and health systems strain to attract new physicians. CentraCare CEO Ken Holmen said the only solution occurred to him a decade ago: grow your own doctors, in your own back yard. The first medical students in the effort to realize that idea are in classes in St. Cloud this fall. And Holmen says he can already feel the difference among the staff.

Host: Tim Nelson, Minnesota Hospital Association

Guest: Ken Holmen, CentraCare

Keith Hearle is a consultant and financial analyst who helped write what became IRS Form 990 Schedule H, the governing document for non-profit hospitals that report their community benefits. Hearle is founder and president of Virginia-based Verité Healthcare Consulting and was in Minnesota to talk to hospital leaders about non-profit health care and the principles of community benefit. This week, we talked with him about the history and meaning of the policy, as scrutiny of non-profit health care has picked up in Congress.

Host: Tim Nelson, Minnesota Hospital Association

Guest: Keith Hearle, Verité Healthcare Consulting

Medicaid and Affordable Care Act tax subsidies have been getting a lot of attention lately, but Congress has its eye on some other health care issues, including a recent House Ways and Means Committee hearing on non-profit health care and community benefit. This week, we talk with Becky Wifstrand, the Minnesota Hospital Association's Director of Federal Policy and Regulatory Affairs, about new scrutiny on the hospital and health system economy.

Host: Tim Nelson, Minnesota Hospital Association

Guest: Becky Wifstrand, Minnesota Hospital Association

A $100,000 application fee for new H-1B visas just instituted by the Trump administration will have a profound impact on 85,000 foreign workers that enter the U.S. annually. In this episode, we talk to Ann-Rose Johnson-Lewis, director of legal services at WorldWide HealthStaff Solutions, about the latest developments in federal visa policy for foreign workers and what it could mean for health care in the U.S., particularly for rural providers.

Host: Tim Nelson, Minnesota Hospital Association

Guest: Ann-Rose Johnson-Lewis, WorldWide HealthStaff Solutions

Note: WorldWide HealthStaff Solutions is an endorsed business partner of the Minnesota Hospital Association

In this episode, we're bringing you a full-length version of a panel discussion at the recent State of Reform health policy conference, held in Bloomington in September. Minnesota Hospital Association vice president of government affairs Mary Krinkie hosted the event. It featured DFL state representative Steve Elkins, of Bloomington; DFL state Senator and family medicine physician Alice Mann, of Edina; Republican state senator Paul Utke, of Park Rapids; and Republican state represenative Danny Nadeau, of Rogers.

Hosts: Tim Nelson and Mary Krinkie, Minnesota Hospital Association

Guests: State Rep. Steve Elkins (DFL, Bloomington); State Sen. Alice Mann (DFL, Edina); State Rep. Danny Nadeau (R, Rogers) and State Sen. Paul Utke (R, Park Rapids)

Across Minnesota, hospitals are investing in the health and wellbeing of their communities. In this episode of Hospital Matters, Jodi Martin shares how Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital is extending care beyond hospital walls through initiatives like vaccine clinics, scholarships, and summer programs.

Host: Tim Nelson, Minnesota Hospital Association

Guest: Jodi Martin, Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital

The federal government is deeply involved in health care, and this week's budget impass and shutdown will have a significant impact on providers and patients as it stretches on. This episode of Hospital Matters features Minnesota Hospital Association Director of Federal Policy and Regulatory Affairs Becky Wifstrand. She talks about the stakes for the shutdown and what brought health care to the eye of Washington's political storm. Host: Tim Nelson, Minnesota Hospital Association

Guest: Becky Wifstrand, Minnesota Hospital Association

Minnesota deputy Department of Human Services commissioner and state Medicaid director John Connolly recently offered an update on what the state is so far expecting from HR-1, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Connolly spoke and took questions about expected Medicaid questions at the Minnesota Hospital Association annual meeting, near Brainerd.

Host: Tim Nelson, Minnesota Hospital Association

Guest: John Connolly, Minnesota Department of Human Services

Links:

What the new federal budget law means for Medicaid https://mn.gov/dhs/federalchanges/

Medicaid Matters https://mn.gov/dhs/medicaid-matters/

Medicaid Matters Communications Toolkit https://mn.gov/dhs/medicaid-matters/communications-toolkit/