
DISTRICT 1 REPRESENTATIVES STAND UP FOR BCBS MEMBERS WITH LETTER TO YRMC
YAVAPAI REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT
THEY ARE LEAVING THE BLUE CROSS, BLUE SHIELD NETWORK
EFFECTIVE TODAY (TUESDAY). THEIR DECISION WILL AFFECT
THOUSANDS OF AREA RESIDENTS WHO HAVE HEALTH COVERAGE
THROUGH BLUE CROSS, BLUE SHIELD.
A STATEMENT RELEASED FROM BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD ON JANUARY
26 TH SAID, IN PART, “WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO NEGOTIATE A
REASONABLE INCREASE AND TO KEEP THEM (YRMC) IN NETWORK.
DESPITE OUR BEST EFFORTS, THEY (YRMC) ARE CHOOSING TO LEAVE
ON JANUARY 31 ST .”
LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT 1 REPRESENTATIVE, QUANG NGUYEN, SAID HE
HAS BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH DR. ANTHONY TORRES,
PRESIDENT AND CEO OF YAVAPAI REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER…
THE NEWS 1490 SPOKE WITH ABBY FRIEDEMANN KAY, EXTERNAL
COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST WITH DIGNITY HEALTH’S ARIZONA
SERVICE AREA, WHO RELEASED THIS STATEMENT, WHICH READS, IN
PART:
“FOR MANY MONTHS, DIGNITY HEALTH YAVAPAI REGIONAL MEDICAL
CENTER (YRMC) AND YAVAPAI REGIONAL MEDICAL GROUP (YRMG) HAVE
BEEN IN GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATIONS WITH HEALTH INSURANCE
COMPANY BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF ARIZONA TO ACHIEVE NEW
PROVIDER AGREEMENTS FOR HOSPITAL AND PHYSICIAN SERVICES.
DESPITE OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS, BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF
ARIZONA HAS BEEN UNWILLING TO AGREE TO A NEW, RESPONSIBLE
CONTRACT. IF BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF ARIZONA, YRMC, AND YRMG
ARE UNABLE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT BY JANUARY 31, YRMG AND
YRMC PROVIDERS WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE TO SERVE BLUE CROSS,
BLUE SHIELD OF ARIZONA MEMBERS ON AN OUT-OF-NETWORK BASIS
EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 1, 2023.
YRMG AND YRMC HAVE OFFERED BLUE CROSS, BLUE SHIELD OF
ARIZONA AN AGREEMENT WITH RATE INCREASES BELOW COST
INFLATION FOR HOSPITAL SERVICES AS MEASURED BY THE CONSUMER
PRICE INDEX.
CONTRARY TO COMMUNICATIONS BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF
ARIZONA SENT TO EMPLOYERS AND MEMBERS, THROUGHOUT THIS
NEGOTIATION, THE RATE INCREASES PROPOSED BY YRMG AND YRMC
COMBINED HAVE BEEN IN THE SINGLE DIGITS.
IF THE AGREEMENTS TERMINATE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO TREAT ALL
PATIENTS IN NEED OF EMERGENCY CARE THROUGH OUR HOSPITALS’
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS AT IN-NETWORK RATES. PATIENTS WHO
ARE IN ACTIVE TREATMENT MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO CONTINUE RECEIVING
CARE ON AN IN-NETWORK BASIS THROUGH THEIR CONTINUITY OF CARE
BENEFITS AND ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT BLUE CROSS BLUE
SHIELD OF ARIZONA FOR MORE DETAILS.”
THE NEWS 1490 WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION CLOSELY
AND WILL BRING YOU ANY UPDATES RELEASED BY THE 2 PARTIES.
