Ellison clears Sanford-North Memorial merger with conditions
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison approved the merger of Sanford Health and North Memorial Health on August 28, 2026, clearing the deal to proceed with conditions intended to protect jobs and services in the state.[1]
Ellison required Sanford and North Memorial to keep employee jobs, honor collective bargaining agreements and preserve current levels of emergency transport, mental health and reproductive services.[1] The combined organization will invest $15 million to support rural providers and enhance Level 1 trauma and safety-net care in the Twin Cities.[1] Sanford CEO Bill Gassen said the deal is expected to close in September.[1]
Sanford Health pursued a Twin Cities foothold through merger attempts with Fairview Health Services in 2013 and again in 2022 that collapsed amid opposition from University of Minnesota leaders, lawmakers and the attorney general. A July 2023 law expanded the state attorney general's authority to review health care transactions, and that change shaped how Ellison evaluated the North Memorial deal. North Memorial, which suffered chronic deficits including a $50 million operating loss at its Robbinsdale hospital in 2025, evaluated more than 20 potential partners before signing a definitive agreement with Sanford on May 8, 2026.
Sanford operates 58 hospitals, about 55,000 to 56,000 employees and reported $11.7 billion in operating revenue in 2025. North Memorial runs two hospitals, about 6,500 to 6,800 staff, and its Robbinsdale site is one of Minnesota's five Level 1 trauma centers.
The mainstream summary does not mention the broader context of hospital consolidation in Minnesota, where the state has seen 35 hospital mergers between 2000 and 2022, resulting in over half of its hospitals being classified as monopolies. This trend has coincided with hospital prices nearly tripling, raising concerns about affordability and access to care. According to the Health Care Affordability Lab at Yale, these consolidation trends are part of a national pattern where economic pressures are pushing hospitals to merge, often at the expense of local control and service availability.[2]
Additionally, while the summary highlights the conditions imposed by Attorney General Ellison, it downplays the significance of the new regulatory framework established by Minnesota's 2023 healthcare transaction law, which mandates a thorough review of large mergers for their impact on access and affordability. This shift reflects a growing trend of state-level oversight in response to limited federal antitrust actions, emphasizing the need for such scrutiny in light of ongoing consolidation concerns.[3]
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📊 Relevant Data
Sanford Health operates 58 hospitals, 289 clinics, and employs approximately 55,000-56,000 people across seven states, reporting $11.7 billion in operating revenue and serving more than 2 million patients in 2025.
About Us — Sanford Health
North Memorial Health operates two hospitals (Robbinsdale and Maple Grove) and employs approximately 6,500-6,800 staff, with Robbinsdale serving as one of Minnesota's five Level 1 trauma centers.
Sanford Health, North Memorial Health to Form Single Nonprofit Health System — North Memorial Health
Minnesota experienced 35 hospital mergers between 2000 and 2022; as of 2025, 52.8% of its hospitals are highly concentrated or monopolies, coinciding with hospital prices nearly tripling.
A Ranking of All 50 States by Hospital Consolidation — Health Care Affordability Lab at Yale
Sanford Health's prior merger attempts with Fairview Health Services in 2013 and 2022-2023 were abandoned following opposition from the University of Minnesota, unions, state lawmakers, and the Attorney General over concerns about out-of-state control of a key Minnesota institution.
Sanford Health — Wikipedia
📌 Key Facts
- AG Ellison approved the Sanford Health–North Memorial Health merger on August 28, 2026, after negotiations with both systems.
- Sanford agreed to maintain employee jobs, honor collective bargaining agreements, and preserve current levels of emergency transport, mental health and reproductive services.
- The combined organization will invest $15 million to support rural providers and enhance Level 1 trauma and safety‑net care in the Twin Cities, with the merger expected to close in September under Sanford CEO Bill Gassen.
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