HealthPartners continues to respond to COVID-19 pandemic

Organization creates new ways to access care, prepares for surge and addresses financial challenges

Bloomington, Minn. – April 23, 2020 – As it continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by creating new ways for patients to access care and preparing for a potential surge, HealthPartners today announced it is taking steps to manage financial challenges caused by the worldwide crisis.

“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is creating unprecedented challenges, ones we couldn’t have imagined just a few months ago,” said Andrea Walsh, HealthPartners president and CEO. “We’re addressing the challenges and staying focused on our top priority – the health and safety of our patients, members and colleagues by introducing new ways to provide care and coverage.”

The organization has taken a number of steps to slow the spread of the virus and preserve valuable personal protective equipment for team members, including:

• Expanding video and phone visits for patients.
• Providing online well-being programs for plan members.
• Creating respiratory care clinics to safely care for patients with COVID-19 symptoms.
• Consolidating care locations and reducing hours of operation.
• Creating a central staffing pool and redeploying team members to prepare for a potential surge.
• Temporarily suspending most dental and optical care along with all elective, non-urgent surgery.

Even with these changes to support patients and members, Walsh noted that the organization has experienced an immediate and significant decrease in revenue. To help address the financial challenges of the pandemic, the organization will:

• Reduce overall compensation for salaried leaders in 2020. Walsh’s compensation will be reduced by 40 percent. Compensation for leaders across the organization will be reduced by up to 30 percent based on leadership level.
• Furlough employees in areas where the organization has stopped, slowed, or deferred work temporarily. The organization expects to furlough approximately 10% of its workforce. Furloughed employees will retain health benefits.
• Hold on hiring and eliminating open positions across the organization except when necessary for urgent or critical needs.

“With the pandemic affecting all health systems, we’re grateful for the strong sense of partnership and support for our caregivers from our community,” Walsh added. “Whether that’s organizations working together or individuals social distancing to slow the spread, we thank our community for stepping up alongside us.”