It’s the final countdown for Parkview Health and Anthem Insurance. Their current contract expires Tuesday and they still haven’t made a deal for a new one. If they don’t come to terms, Anthem clients will no longer get in-network benefits at Parkview facilities.
These negotiations boil down to money. Anthem said Parkview is charging their clients too much for health services. The insurance company cited a 2017 RAND study that reported a great disparity for Indiana hospital care with particularly high costs from Parkview. Parkview called the study misleading.
The new contract negotiations have gone back and forth and both sides for months, with both sides keeping details secret.
“Anthem continues to communicate with Parkview Health several times a day in an effort to renew our contract,” the company posted on its website on July 24. “We are hopeful that we’ll reach an agreement soon.”
On Monday, WANE 15 reached out to Parkview for an update.
“Parkview Health remains engaged in discussions with Anthem of Indiana,” a spokesperson said. “We have continued to work toward a patient-centered solution and have presented Anthem with multiple options that will lower costs not only for patients, but also for employers. Our most recent proposal was submitted on Friday, July 24. Knowing the majority of Anthem patients in the region prefer Parkview hospitals and physicians, we want to ensure continued access to our high-quality care and are hopeful an agreement can be reached before the deadline.”
Invested clients are now holding their breath, such as Purdue University Fort Wayne, which offers its faculty and staff Anthem Insurance.
“We remain optimistic that these negotiations will lead to a satisfactory resolution so broad access to in-network options can continue uninterrupted for our plan members,” said University Spokesperson Geoff Thomas.
The current Parkview-Anthem contract expires Tuesday at 11:59 p.m.
Source: Wane