MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Public Invited to Weigh In on Sanford Health’s Proposed Acquisition of North Memorial Health

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (June 24, 2026) The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office will hold a public forum on Tuesday, July 7, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Fellowship Minneapolis, 3333 N. 4th Street, as state officials continue reviewing Sanford Health’s proposed acquisition of North Memorial Health.

The forum is the second of two public meetings hosted by the Attorney General’s Office on the proposed transaction. Members of the public and media may attend, but registration is requested. Residents who want to ask questions or submit comments are also being asked to complete a public input form.

Sanford Health and North Memorial announced on May 8 that they had signed a letter of intent and affiliation agreement for North Memorial to join Sanford. Under the proposal, North Memorial would remain a Minnesota nonprofit corporation but become a subsidiary of Sanford Health and operate as Sanford’s Twin Cities region, with designated representation on the Sanford board.

The deal would bring one of the Twin Cities’ major independent health systems under the umbrella of Sanford Health, a Sioux Falls-based nonprofit system with roughly 55,000 employees serving patients across the Upper Midwest. North Memorial operates Robbinsdale Hospital, Maple Grove Hospital, more than 20 clinics, and a statewide medical transportation division, with more than 6,500 employees and more than 55,000 patients served monthly.

Sanford and North Memorial have said the proposed combination would include a $600 million investment aimed at strengthening Robbinsdale Hospital and expanding Maple Grove Hospital. The systems describe the deal as a way to stabilize care, expand access, and support long-term sustainability.

The Attorney General’s review will examine the transaction under Minnesota’s health care transaction law, charities law, and antitrust law. State law requires review of certain health care transactions and directs officials to evaluate potential effects on patients, workers, access, affordability, and available health care options.

The Attorney General does not simply approve or deny such transactions administratively. However, the office can sue to block a transaction if it violates the law or is found contrary to the public interest.

Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office has said public input will be considered as part of its review. Public submissions are generally treated as “not public” data under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, according to the office.

The proposed acquisition arrives amid broader concern over health care consolidation in Minnesota and across the country. Supporters of such transactions often argue that partnerships help health systems survive rising costs and invest in services. Critics warn that consolidation can reduce local control, raise prices, affect staffing, and limit patient choice. The Minnesota Nurses Association has already raised concerns about the Sanford-North Memorial proposal, saying it could carry consequences for patients, workers, and communities.

For North Minneapolis, Robbinsdale, Maple Grove, and surrounding communities, the stakes are immediate. North Memorial’s hospitals and ambulance services are deeply connected to emergency care, trauma response, birth services, primary care, specialty care, and access for residents across the northwest metro.

Key staff from the Attorney General’s Office and representatives from the two health systems are expected to attend the July 7 forum. The Attorney General will not attend because of a prior commitment, according to the office.

The forum will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 7, at Fellowship Minneapolis, 3333 N. 4th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55412. The venue lists the same address publicly.

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