Choose a Center of Excellence for a safe and successful weight loss surgery

Not all providers treat patients with the same quality of care. With a life-changing procedure like weight loss surgery, it's important to choose a provider who has proven expertise and successful results.

But it's difficult to know how to find an exceptional provider on your own.

In an initiative led by the State of Minnesota and the Joint Labor Management Committee on Health Plans, your three health plans have worked together to evaluate and identify the following providers and their practicing locations as Centers of Excellence. These providers and their facilities have demonstrated:

• Surgical expertise;
• Successful weight-loss surgery outcomes;
• A solid pre and post surgical program;
• An integrated approach to weight loss surgery; and
• A commitment to long-term follow-up. 

If a facility in your area is not listed, if you want to know more about a specific provider or if you would like help finding a provider for a different specialty, call your claims administrator:

• Blue Cross and Blue Shield 651-662-5090 or 800-262-0819
• HealthPartners 952-883-7900 or 888-343-4404
• PreferredOne 866-333-2757

Weight Loss Centers of Excellence

Facility	Provider	Address	Phone number	Hospital Partner
Allina Medical Clinic Surgical Specialties - Unity	Laura July, Frederick Johnson	Unity Professional Building 500 Osborne Rd NE, Ste 200 Fridley, MN 55432	763-236-2026	Unity, Fridley
Baker Bariatrics	Jeffrey Baker	Unity Professional Building 500 Osborne Rd NE, Ste 125 Fridley, MN 55432	763-236-2180	Unity, Fridley
Central Minnesota Surgeons	Program is holding on scheduling new surgeries until a new surgeon is found.	2000 Abbott Northwestern Court, Ste 300 Sartell, MN 56377	320-251-5676	St. Cloud Hospital
HCMC Surgery Clinic	Howard Lederer, Jon Krook	600 HFA Building 914 S. 8th St., Ste 600 Minneapolis, MN 55404	612-873-2058	Hennepin County Medical Center , Mpls Fairview-Riverside, Mpls Univ. of MN Med Ctr , Mpls
Minneapolis Bariatric Surgeons	Michael Schwartz, Raymond Drew, Edmund Chute	920 E. 28th St., Ste 480 Minneapolis, MN 55407	612-338-1100	Abbott Northwestern, Mpls St. Joseph’s, St. Paul
Park Nicollet Clinic	Thomas Jones, Robert Wetherille, Charles Svendsen	3900 Park Nicollet Blvd St. Louis Park, MN 55416	952-993-3180	Methodist, St. Louis Park
St. Paul Surgeons, Ltd	William M. Rupp, Peter Kelly, James McGreevy	310 Smith Ave, Ste 330 St. Paul, MN 55102	651-227-6351	United , St. Paul St. Joseph’s, St. Paul
Sanford Clinic Surgical Assoc	Dennis Glatt, Donald Graham	1508 W 22nd Street  Ste 101 Sioux Falls, SD  57105	605-333-2249	Sanford USD
Surgical Consultants	Paul L. Benn, Bradley Pierce	6405 France Ave S, Ste W320 Edina, MN 55435	952-915-8626	Fairview-Southdale, Edina
University of MN Physicians	Sayeed Ikramuddin, Daniel Leslie, Todd Kellogg, Henry Buchwald	Bariatric Surgery Center 516 Delaware St. SE, Ste 1E Minneapolis, MN 55455	612-625-8413	Fairview-Riverside, Mpls Univ. of MN Med Ctr , Mpls Abbott Northwestern, Mpls

 

Plus, when you’re admitted to a Center of Excellence, you do not have to pay an inpatient hospital copay!