Moab Regional Hospital officials have reached an agreement with Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah that will enable the hospital to continue to be an in-network provider for the insurance network.
The new contract was reportedly signed on Dec. 31, shortly before the previous agreement was set to expire. The terms of the new three-year deal were not disclosed by hospital officials or Regence, but Regence officials said a follow-up letter will be sent to affected customers and groups containing additional information.
“We would like to thank hospital leaders for working through the lengthy discussions with us. We’d also like to thank our members, agents, brokers and employer groups for their patience and understanding when the negotiations reached a time-critical stage,” Jennifer Danielson, president of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah, said in a prepared statement announcing the successful culmination of the contract negotiations, which reportedly took place over a period of several months, starting last summer.
“I am pleased we were able to come to a mutual agreement on contract terms. I am especially pleased for those community members with Blue Cross coverage who can continue to utilize Moab Regional Hospital and our hospital physicians for in-network services,” Robb Austin, CEO of Moab Regional Hospital, said in the statement, which was issued Jan. 2 as a joint press release by the hospital and the Regence network.
MRH officials said all hospital-employed physicians are covered under the new agreement. In addition, BlueCross BlueShield patients will see no immediate changes to their plans, nor was their coverage interrupted, MRH officials said.
“Approximately 15 percent of the patients at Moab Regional Hospital are BlueCross Blue Shield members, which include Blue plan members from other states,” said Jen Sadoff, the hospital’s director of community relations. “All will continue to be able to access MRH and its physicians as in-network providers.”
Sadoff said hospital officials are unable to publicly discuss the specifics of the new contract, citing a confidentiality agreement.
Date: January 8, 2015