ASC operator Optum finalized a partnership with Allina Health System in Minneapolis in December, paving the way for the potential development of up to a dozen new surgery centers in the next five years, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Through the partnership, Optum and its subsidiary, Surgical Care Affiliates, will become equity partners in new ASCs developed with Allina. Optum also will begin managing Allina's ASCs at the Plymouth, Minn.-based West Health medical campus in February.
"We are committed to supporting the community with lower-cost settings of care," Lisa Shannon, COO at Allina, told the Star-Tribune. “While the payers did not trigger our pursuit of this plan ... we believe the payers are going to be positively encouraged by our development.”
SCA had three partnerships with ASCs in Minnesota when UnitedHealth Group, Optum's parent company, acquired SCA in 2017, according to the Star-Tribune.
SCA said it is "pleased to be working with Allina" and looks forward to reducing the total cost of care for patients.
The financial terms of the partnership were not released.