Another health insurance company plans to start hanging out at the mall.
Eagan-based Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota has signed a multi-year lease to operate a 3,500 square-foot store at Yorkdale Shoppes in Edina, the nonprofit announced Thursday.
The health insurer says the store, across the street from Southdale Center, would be the first of its kind in Minnesota, offering year-round help to people buying individual insurance policies and Medicare health plans.
“The retail model has proven to be very popular with Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in other states,” said Michael Guyette, president and chief executive officer, in a statement. “We see the Edina location as our flagship store, and we hope to apply our experience and learnings to other areas of the state in the years to follow.”
While Blue Cross says it’s the first Minnesota-based insurer to open such a store, Bloomington-based HealthPartners experimented with a “pop-up shop” at a Minnetonka mall in 2012.
Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth Group opened its first retail storefront in 1994 in New York City, and subsequently opened seven more storefronts — none in Minnesota.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida also has opened a number of retail health insurance stores. Guyette previously worked for the Florida insurer.
At the Edina store, customers will be able to learn about insurance options and make payments on their insurance policies, the company said.
Date: August 28, 2014