Is the HMO making a comeback?… Gundersen Lutheran Health Plan, based in La Crosse, Wis., applied for and received a certificate to operate its HMO in Fillmore, Houston, Olmsted and Winona counties, becoming the ninth HMO to operate in the state… Asked if Gundersen's plans represent a competitive threat, a Mayo Clinic spokesperson responded that the future of health care will require providers to work together to treat patients as a single group. "All of our Mayo Clinic locations in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin are committed to providing integrated care that improves outcomes, the health of our communities, and lowers cost. In those efforts we are working with many insurers to design new models of care to accomplish these goals. We also know that delivering best care requires more collaboration among providers, not less. "We believe that competition within the market is good, it makes us all better, but competition should not supersede patient choice,” thee Mayo statement said.

Post-Bulletin by Mike Klein

Tags: Gundersen Lutheran Health Plan, Health Policy, HMO, Patient Care