Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center in Jasper, Ind., and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield have hit an impasse in their contract negotiations, according to The Herald.
A contract between the two organizations is set to expire Nov. 27. If Memorial Hospital and Anthem fail to reach an agreement before that date, Anthem members may have to pay out-of-network prices to access the hospital.
Memorial Hospital raised concerns about the speed of Anthem’s process and seeming “indifference” to the negotiations, according to The Herald. The hospital said Anthem offered it an overall payment decrease as of mid-September.
Anthem told the publication that Memorial Hospital is reimbursed at a higher level than other hospitals in the state that are similar in size. The spokesperson added Memorial Hospital seeks “a 9 percent increase, or $5 million more per year. $20 million over the life of the contract,” according to the report.
Source: Becker’s Hospital Review