Kaiser Permanente Colorado is transferring physicians from two hospitals to four others as it strikes new partnerships, The Denver Post reported May 21.
In January, cardiologists, surgeons and orthopedic physicians employed by Kaiser Permanente began leaving Denver-based St. Joseph Hospital and Lafayette, Colo.-based Good Samaritan Hospital. Both hospitals are operated by Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Health.
By October, Kaiser Permanente plans to move neurologists, oncologists and obstetricians away from the two hospitals, according to the Post.
In 2024, Kaiser Permanente Colorado secured partnerships with Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health and Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare. The insurer is relocating physicians to two HCA hospitals in Denver and two CommonSpirit hospitals — one in Lakewood, Colo., and the other in Westminster, Colo.
As those partnerships were announced, Kaiser began parting ways with Intermountain Health, the Post reported. The Intermountain hospitals will remain in-network for Kaiser patients at least through 2026.
Mike Ramseier, president of Kaiser Permanente Colorado, told the Post a reason for moving the physicians is so the company can sell more traditional insurance plans. The physicians mainly provided care to patients covered by the insurer, the report said.
Kaiser Permanente Colorado is part of Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente. The parent company runs 40 hospitals and several health plans, but none of its hospitals are in Colorado.
