Allina Health has announced that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota has agreed to include Owatonna Hospital in its Medicare Advantage plans.This means that starting in 2019 residents in southern Minnesota including Steele, Waseca, Dodge and others enrolled in Blue Cross Medicare Advantage plans will now be considered in- network when using the services at Owatonna Hospital. Being in network means enrollees in Blue Cross will not incur substantially increased out-of-pocket costs.

Blue Cross patients may take advantage of the services offered at the Owatonna Hospital Emergency Services Department and remain in network.

In a press release issued Owatonna Hospital President Dave Albrecht states " This is good news for Owatonna Hospital and the communities we serve. It's important we provide convenient whole person care within Owatonna and the surrounding communities and not force our patients to travel more than 30 miles to receive the exceptional care we can provide close to home."

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