St. Louis Park-based Allina Health Aetna names new CEO

Start-up health plan Allina Health Aetna has named Dr. Robert Wieland its new chief executive.

Wieland takes the top spot with the group, which is a joint venture between Minneapolis-based Allina Health System and one of the nation's largest health insurers, Aetna.

Previously the insurer's chief medical officer, Wieland replaces Tom Lindquist, who served as CEO for three and a half years. before departing in November 2021.

Since the formation of Allina Health Aetna in 2018, Wieland has been a part of the executive leadership team.

The health plan has been part of an industry trend where health care providers and health insurers develop closer financial ties.

"Bob's leadership experience in the Twin Cities in both the health system and payer industries will further our mission to bring affordable and differentiated health care services to the community," said Ric Magnuson, the chief financial officer at Allina Health System and chair of the joint venture's board of directors, in a statement.

Allina is one of Minnesota's largest operators of hospitals and clinics, including Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis. Aetna is the heath insurance division of Rhode Island-based CVS Health.

In a February regulatory filing, Allina Health Aetna reported a loss of $18.8 million on $167.4 million of revenue during 2021. Revenue for the year was up 29% compared with 2020, while the annual loss grew by 45%

Total health plan membership grew by 21% to 19,487 at the end of last year, the filing shows.

The company says the financial results and enrollment figures cover membership in Medicare Advantage health plans and fully insured health plans; they don't reflect full operations at Allina Health Aetna.

The joint venture also serves as a third-party administrator for self-insured employer health plans.

On Monday, the company said total membership stood at about 37,000 people, including about 17,000 in Medicare Advantage and roughly 20,000 in fully insured and self-insured health plans for employers.

Allina Health Aetna is an option for workers at Allina, which employs more than 28,000 people. Employment at the startup insurer has grown to 37 people.