MN lawmakers look at hospital merger bill

Minnesota lawmakers may seek more authority over the potential Sanford-Fairview hospital merger.

The merger discussions have critics saying it would diminish health care in the state on several fronts, including reducing health care access by closing hospitals and laying off hospital workers, limiting reproductive health care services, and reducing decision-making authority of medical staff delivering patient care at the bedside.

Some say the time is right for the Legislature to set guidelines in law to oversee not just this merger, but all future hospital mergers and sales that might affect health care in the state.

Sanford Health CEO Bill Gassen said the company has no plans to make any significant changes to facilities operated by Fairview and would honor union contracts.

MN House