Independent physician practices are increasingly worried about losing patients and their ability to remain autonomous, thanks to the growth in the region of health care giant Kaiser Permanente.

Kaiser plans to open new clinics in Fort Collins and Loveland this fall. It plans a third clinic in 2014. It also has a partnership with Banner Health to provide hospital services to Kaiser patients.

Even before it began to expand its profile here, the insurer had about 6,000 members in Northern Colorado, patients who have been traveling south to Boulder or Denver for care and will now be able to receive that care in Northern Colorado.

In building its Northern Colorado network, Kaiser has contracted with 400 physicians in the area and another 200 nurse practitioners, physicians' assistants and other medical professionals.

Kaiser health plans will be accepted at its soon-to-open clinics, at Banner's North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley and McKee Medical Center in Loveland, as well as at Banner's many clinics throughout the region.

Its health plans, however, will not be accepted at doctor offices without a contract with Kaiser. That includes University of Colorado Health facilities, including