Managed care in the Twin Cities: what can we learn?

Minneapolis/St. Paul, because of its history of health maintenance organization development and active employer participation in the health care arena, is often cited as a community in which managed competition has been tested to some degree. This paper reviews the historical development of the Twin Cities health care market and summarizes findings from past studies of this market. It also describes the recent consolidation of providers in the Twin Cities, as well as the activities of large purchasing coalitions. Finally, it assesses the elements of the Twin Cities experience that seem most relevant to managed competition-based health care reform proposals.