Attorney General Ellison to hold first community forum on proposed acquisition of Essentia Health by HealthPartners

Forum to be held Monday, November 23 from 6:00-8:00 pm in Duluth: attendees and speakers asked to RSVP at links provided

November 10, 2026 (SAINT PAUL) — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s Office is inviting members of the public to share their opinions on the proposed acquisition of Essentia Health by HealthPartners at a community forum on Monday, November 23, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm in Duluth. The forum is open to members of the media and public, and the location will be shared with those who RSVP here. Those who wish to sign up to speak at the forum and share their opinions about the merger are asked to fill out this brief form.

The Attorney General will review the proposed transaction under the state’s health care transaction law (Minn. Stat. 145D.01), charities law, and antitrust law, to determine compliance, including whether the transaction is in the public interest. Under Minnesota law, the Attorney General, in consultation with the Department of Health, evaluates a health care transaction’s impact on patients and the health care workforce, including how the transaction may affect health care options, access, affordability. The Attorney General does not approve or deny transactions but can bring a lawsuit to block transactions that violate the law or are otherwise contrary to the public interest.

The Attorney General’s Office will consider all public input as part of its review. Submissions are generally treated as “not public” data under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. The feedback provided by the public will help in the Office’s evaluation of the proposed transaction.

Forum details:

How to provide input if you cannot attend the November 23 Duluth forum: 

“My office is conducting a thorough review of this potential acquisition to ensure it complies with the law and is in the public interest,” said Attorney General Keith Ellison. “Part of that review involves hearing directly from the people of Minnesota about how this proposed transaction will affect them and their loved ones. I remain committed to using all the tools at my disposal to defend the people of Minnesota’s access to quality, affordable healthcare.”

Details of the proposed transaction

On September 29, 2026, Health Partners and Essentia announced that they have signed a definitive agreement for Essentia to join HealthPartners.

HealthPartners is a nonprofit integrated health system and insurer headquartered in Bloomington, with eight hospitals and more than 90 clinics and other outpatient services. It employs about 28,000 people, including over 2,000 clinicians, and serves more than 1.4 million patients in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Health Partners also has an insurance arm that provides coverage to roughly 1.6 million members.

Essentia Health is a nonprofit integrated health system headquartered in Duluth, serving Minnesota, western Wisconsin and North Dakota. It operates 14 hospitals, 80 clinics, as well as retail pharmacies, assisted living and independent facilities, long-term care facilities, and an ambulance service with 16,500 employees. Essentia has more than 2,500 clinicians serving about 600,000 patients.

Under the proposal, HealthPartners Chief Executive Officer Andrea Walsh would serve as Chief Executive Officer of the combined organization, which would operate as HealthPartners, with Essential Chief Executive Officer Dr. David Herman, M.D. serving as President, Care Group.