HealthPartners and Essentia Health Plan Merger to Form Regional Nonprofit System

HealthPartners, based in Bloomington, and Essentia Health, headquartered in Duluth, announced on Tuesday that their boards have approved a plan to combine the two nonprofit health systems. If state regulators give final approval, the merger would become effective at the start of 2027 and operate under the HealthPartners name. The combined entity would encompass 22 hospitals, more than 135 clinics and roughly 6,000 clinicians, employing about 45,000 staff across Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota. Both systems said patients and members should experience no interruption to care or insurance coverage during the transition.

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The deal marks the third major health-system consolidation in Minnesota this year, following the earlier merger of North Memorial Health with Sanford Health and the pending Allina Health–Sutter Health transaction. Essentia previously explored alliances with Fairview Health Services and the University of Minnesota in 2025, and a merger with Wisconsin’s Marshfield Clinic in 2022 that later fell through.

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Essentia Health CEO Dr. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced that his office will gather public comments and conduct a thorough review to ensure the transaction complies with law and serves the public interest.

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• “HealthPartners and Essentia Health share a belief that everyone deserves access to high-quality care and coverage, close to home and centered on their needs,” — Andrea Walsh, president and CEO

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• “As a combined nonprofit health system, we will be able to better innovate and grow our workforce. That strong foundation will make us even better partners for our patients, working together to help people live their healthiest lives, wherever they call home,” — Dr. David Herman, essentia health CEO

Minnesota Public Radio (MPR)

• “Minnesota has now seen three major back-to-back healthcare consolidation announcements, and nurses are deeply concerned about what that could mean for our patients and communities,” — MNA President Chris Rubesch

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• “Proposed healthcare consolidation requires close scrutiny,” — General Keith Ellison, minnesota attorney

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