Economy & Labor
Health care & Insurance
Kaiser Permanente's entrance into the Northern Colorado market was made possible in part because of a partnership with Banner Health and its network of clinics. But the big insurer is also working to develop alliances with independent medical practices across the region.
Its network will likely consist of specialists rather than primary-care physicians. Those doctors will be hired directly by Kaiser. Just how many specialists might agree to open their doors to Kaiser's members remains unknown.
Kaiser will open two of its own clinics in October, with plans to hire about 40 people to staff locations in Fort Collins and Windsor.
By the time it opens a third clinic, in Greeley in 2014, it expects to have a total of 100 employees working in Northern Colorado.
The composition of Kaiser's staff and the private practices with which it will align itself will be based on an analysis of the community's needs, said Jason Tacha, senior operations director for Kaiser's Colorado region.