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RESOLVED: BCBS of Texas vs Hendrick Health

Network Contract Watch

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

BCBS of Texas vs Hendrick Health

Network Contract Watch

Hendrick Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas have been in contract negotiations for some time. The original contract was set to expire on December 31, 2025, but it has been extended several times with the current expiration date set as January 31, 2026.

If Hendrick Health and BCBSTX do not reach agreement before January 31, Hendrick Health doctors, hospitals and other facilities will no longer participate in the the BCBS of Texas network.

Sources: BCBS of Texas, HealthSelect, Hendrick Health

RESOLVED: Cigna vs Tenet Healthcare

Network Contract Watch

Cigna and Tenet Healthcare reached an agreement in their contract dispute, spokespersons confirmed on December 31.

“An agreement has been reached with Tenet Healthcare, their physicians and ambulatory surgery centers to continue providing in-network healthcare with no interruption in coverage for our customers,” a Cigna spokesperson told Becker’s. “Together we will continue improving the health and vitality of the people we both serve in the community through access to affordable care.”

A Tenet Healthcare spokesperson confirmed the agreement to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Sources: Becker’s Payer Issues, South Florida Sun-Sentinel via InsuranceNewsNet

RESOLVED: BCBS of Texas vs Ascension Texas

Network Contract Watch

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) customers will remain in-network at Ascension Texas hospitals and clinics under a renewed agreement announced today.

The agreement took effect after months of negotiations and protects members’ access to Ascension facilities, including Ascension Seton in the Austin area and Ascension Providence in Waco, at in-network rates.

Source: KVUE

Cigna vs Tenet Healthcare

Network Contract Watch

As the countdown to New Year’s Eve shortens, Tenet Healthcare and Cigna remain at odds. The current contract expires on December 31, 2025.

This contract affects hospitals and facilities in eight states: Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. On their microsite for members, Tenet estimates that millions of patients in these states could be impacted.

While Cigna has not established a microsite for members, they did issue the following statement:

It’s disappointing that Tenet Healthcare is choosing to terminate our contract and spending untold amounts of dollars on expensive advertising to stoke fear among patients as a negotiating tactic. Unfortunately, Tenet is seeking contract terms that would inflate the cost of care unreasonably, making their hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers much more expensive for patients than other facilities.

If the contract expires, continuity of care provisions will apply.

Sources: Becker’s Payer Issues, Tenet Healthcare

BCBS of Texas vs Southwestern Health Resources

Network Contract Watch

As a reminder: Southwestern Health Resources, which includes UT Southwestern and Texas Health Resources, will leave the Blue Advantage HMO network after December 31, 2025, as part of new contract negotiations the parties finalized earlier this year.

The parties came to an agreement on new contracts in April after the previous contracts had lapsed for a few days amid negotiations.

Southwestern Health Resources remains in the following networks, according to the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas website: ParPlan, Blue Choice PPO, Blue Essentials, MyBlue Health, Blue Cross Medicare Advantage (PPO), Blue Cross Medicare Advantage and Medicaid.

Source: WFAA

BCBS of Texas vs Ascension Texas

Network Contract Watch

Without a deal, BCBS of Texas’ commercial, ACA and Medicare Advantage plans will not cover Waco-based Ascension Providence, nor its providers under MyBlue Health, along with Austin-based Ascension Seton, starting January 1, 2026.

Both Ascension Texas and BCBS of Texas have released statements, which provide exact lists of plans and providers that will be affected.

Source: Becker’s Payer Issues

BCBS of Texas vs Southwestern Health Resources

Network Contract Watch

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas’ more affordable Blue Advantage HMO plan, which offers a narrower network at a lower price, is set to go out of network at Southwestern Health Resources on January 1. The expiration will leave Blue Advantage members unable to access in-network care from providers at UTSW Clements University Hospital or the twenty-nine Texas Health hospitals in the state.

BCBSTX is advising Blue Advantage members to find a new primary care physician who is not affiliated with UTSW or Texas Health or select another plan option during open enrollment to maintain an in-network relationship with the SWHR providers.

Source: D Magazine