HealthPartners shares progress, priorities and next steps toward simpler, more affordable health care

BLOOMINGTON, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With medical and pharmacy cost trends continuing to rise, HealthPartners is accelerating efforts to make care and coverage simpler and more affordable. At its 2026 Annual Meeting today, the organization shared progress and next steps focused on personalizing medicine, simplifying access to care, supporting health and well-being and addressing affordability pressures.

“From the beginning, HealthPartners was built on the belief that people want better health and need care they can easily access, afford and understand,” said Andrea Walsh, president and CEO of HealthPartners. “Our Annual Meeting is a chance to show how that idea guides the organization today. We do this by sharing how we’re investing in innovation, introducing new health plan products, strengthening care delivery and preparing for ongoing change, while staying grounded in trust, transparency and service to our members and patients.”

Here are highlights of the event:

Personalizing medicine to improve health

In her remarks, Walsh shared how the myGenetics community health research program is giving patients and their care teams deeper and richer insights into their health. It’s already helped more than 80,000 people better understand their genetic health risk for hereditary high cholesterol and breast, ovarian and colon cancer.

The keynote update focused on the organization’s use of technology to personalize care and coverage, including:

• HealthPartners cancer care teams use of AI to better detect lung cancers and connect patients with clinical trials
• Health plan partnerships with community-based pharmacies to support members with diabetes in using continuous glucose monitors
• Digital tools like My dashboard, which displays a personalized guide to help members and patients get the care they need when they need it.

Simplifying access to care

HealthPartners is focused on simplifying access to care through innovative health plan products and new partnerships. In the past year, the organization has introduced two new products:

• Simplica is a copay-only health plan where members pay less when they choose care with better quality and outcomes. The Simplica plan provides costs up front, lets members compare providers, and can save employers up to 15% compared to other plan options.
• CareConnect HQ is a self-funded option for large employers offered in partnership with the Wisconsin-based community health plan, Quartz. Coverage is available starting July 1, 2026.

The organization is also focused on making investments to meet patient and member needs.

• This summer, HealthPartners will break ground on a new Como Clinic in St. Paul that will open in Fall 2027.
• Construction of a new HealthPartners Lakeview Hospital & Specialty Center is underway and expected to open in early 2028.
• Emergency department expansions are underway at Regions Hospital and Hutchinson Health Hospital.

Addressing affordability pressures

HealthPartners 2025 financial results reflect both challenges and progress. The organization reported an operating loss of about 1% on $9.3 billion revenue, while maintaining adequate cash reserves for the year because of strong investment income and careful management of discretionary spending. Other results included:

• More than $4.1 billion in claims payments
• 11% increase in medical trend, including an 8% trend increase related to increased use of health care services
• Cancer, diabetes and mental health needs are some of the most common conditions members sought care for.
• Pharmacy trend continues to increase – the average cost for a generic prescription increased 8.7% compared to 2024 and the average cost of a specialty drug increased 10.4%.

In addition, HealthPartners invested approximately $1 billion in community benefit in 2025, underscoring its nonprofit commitment to care for all and to strengthen the communities it serves. These investments include care provided without full payment and services that expand access and improve health, particularly for Medicare and Medicaid patients, even as financial pressures continue to mount across health care.

As a consumer‑governed, nonprofit organization, HealthPartners holds an Annual Meeting each year to keep members informed, engaged and connected to the organization’s mission and vision. A recording of the meeting will be available soon at healthpartnersannualmeeting.com.

About HealthPartners

HealthPartners is a nonprofit organization with a mission of improving health and well-being in partnership with its members, patients and community. An integrated system of care and coverage since its founding in 1957, HealthPartners operates hospitals and clinics, health plans, and a research and education institute. The Minneapolis-based organization serves more than 1.4 million patients in Minnesota and Wisconsin and 1.4 million medical and dental health plan members nationwide. For more information, visit healthpartners.com.