Negotiations between Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System and Aetna have stalled as the April 15 deadline approaches.
Spartanburg Regional said they are no longer in negotiations with Aetna due to what they call a “sharp departure from standard Medicare payment practices.”
Source: WSPA
INTEGRIS Health and UnitedHealthcare have reached a deal, saving thousands of Oklahomans from losing care.
The deal comes after months of negotiations and as thousands of Oklahomans watched closely to see whether they would lose access to their doctors. After a last-minute deal late Monday, their care at INTEGRIS will remain in-network.
The new deal will keep patients in-network at INTEGRIS hospitals, doctors and partners.
Source: KOCO
Upstate residents with Aetna health insurance may find their care at Spartanburg Regional Health System out of network.
An Aetna spokesperson confirmed the insurance company is currently in negotiations with Spartanburg Regional. The two sides have not yet reached a new agreement.
Spartanburg Regional Health System will become out of network for Aetna commercial and Medicare Advantage health plans if a deal is not reached by April 16, according to the spokesperson.
The insurance company said, “We continue to negotiate with Spartanburg Health System (including Regional Health Plus) in good faith with the goal of reaching a fair agreement that keeps them in our network.”
Spartanburg Regional Medical System issued the following statement:
Aetna’s latest Medicare proposal implemented a significant policy change in their Medicare agreement that deviates from long-standing practices, making it impossible for us to accept the current terms. Although we’ve made progress on the commercial contract, Aetna is now linking both agreements; if we don’t sign the revised Medicare contract, both our Medicare and commercial agreements will expire on April 15th.
Sources: Fox Carolina, WSPA
CommonSpirit Health (formerly CHI Memorial) and Cigna Healthcare have reached a new contract agreement. CommonSpirit hospitals will now remain in the Cigna LocalPlus and Open Access Plus networks.
The agreement date has been back-dated to February 1, 2026, so patients should experience no disruptions in coverage.
Source: Local 3 News
Contract talks between Michigan Medicine and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan are headed toward a June 30 deadline that could affect patients beginning July 1 if the parties do not reach an agreement.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan says Michigan Medicine is demanding a 44% increase in what it’s paid over the next five years and warns that such a rise could drive up costs for families and employers. Michigan Medicine flatly denies that characterization, calling Blue Cross’s claim false.
Michigan Medicine says renewal discussions do not include the hospitals and health centers of UM Health-Sparrow and UM Health-West, nor the physician group U-M Health Partners. The health system also said Medicare Advantage and Medicaid plans, and the University of Michigan Health Plan that covers employees, faculty, staff and retirees, are not part of these negotiations.
Source: ClickOnDetroit.com
Hendrick Health announced on Monday the finalization of a multi-year contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas.
The contract, effective Friday, ensures that Hendrick Medical Center and Hendrick Medical Center South will remain a part of the BCBSTX network, a Hendrick media release said.
The agreement applies to hospital services in Abilene, to all Hendrick Clinic and Hendrick Anesthesia Network providers and to Hendrick Home Health. The negotiations did not impact Hendrick Medical Center Brownwood. It includes the HealthSelectSM network.
Sources: Abilene Reporter-News via Yahoo!News, HealthSelect, Hendrick Health
Negotiations between Mount Sinai Health System and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield failed, resulting in thousands of patients in New York losing in-network care.
Anthem officials said in a statement that the sides reached an agreement and a contract was ready to go. At the last minute, Mount Sinai refused to move forward. Mount Sinai stated that Anthem refused to commit to contract provisions designed to protect patients from excessive denials, delayed determinations, and prolonged administrative disputes.
Both parties have indicated they are willing to continue negotiations.
Source: CBS News
East Tennessee Children’s Hospital has reached an agreement to continue its relationship with Cigna, the hospital announced Friday. It means families using the insurance provider won’t see any interruption in coverage.
Cigna and ETCH went head-to-head at the beginning of the year, with the insurance company threatening to pull coverage on March 1, citing too high a cost supporting the specialized hospital.
In a statement, Cigna Healthcare said “We’re pleased that East Tennessee Children’s Hospital will remain in our network, and we remain committed to the health and well-being of the families we jointly serve.”
Source: WVLT
Cleveland Clinic and Florida Blue on Friday announced a new multi-year agreement, ensuring the provider remains in-network for the insurance policyholders. Patients with Florida Blue employer-sponsored plans, Health Insurance Marketplace coverage and Medicare Advantage plans will continue to have access to in-network care with Cleveland Clinic providers.
Cleveland Clinic hospitals in Florida are in Stuart, Vero Beach, Port St. Lucie and Weston. A new 200-bed hospital is planned for West Palm Beach, with construction expected to begin in 2027 and completion by the end of 2029.
Source: WBPF
Florida Blue customers could lose in-network status with Cleveland Clinic Florida if the two sides fail to reach a new contract by Sunday, March 1.
Florida Blue has assured patients coverage is guaranteed through May as talks continue, although Cleveland Clinic Florida warns they “could” be out of network if the deadline passes without a deal.
Per the Cleveland Clinic web site, the contract end date appears to be May 31, 2026. However, Cleveland Clinic intends to begin reaching out to patients and cancelling/rescheduling care as early as March 1, which is why they are reporting that date.
In respective web site statements, both parties say negotiations are ongoing.
Sources: Cleveland Clinic, Florida Blue, WUSF