MU Health Care confirmed Tuesday that it is reviewing a new offer from Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield that could restore insurance coverage to an estimated 90,000 Missourians.
The news comes a week after a state Senate hearing failed to result in any sort of agreement between the two actors. The initial deadline for negotiations was April 1, and three months later, efforts to finalize a deal are ongoing.
The newest confirmed offer, made by Anthem on Monday afternoon, follows two failed proposals made at the hearing last week. Neither side released details of the latest offer.
In an email, Anthem said, “During the recent public hearing, Anthem presented two distinct proposals to MU Health Care in an effort to resolve our contractual differences. In a private session following the hearing and again as recently as yesterday, we extended an additional offer aimed at moving toward a resolution.”
MU Health Care spokesperson Rochita Ghosh reiterated the desire for negotiations in a separate email: “Our goal remains to reach an agreement and return in-network access for Anthem members to MU Health Care clinicians and facilities.”
Confirmation of the new offer came as Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin, R-Shelbina, posted a call for action on Facebook, requesting a contract renewal by Thursday. While O’Laughlin, who leads the state Senate, acknowledged in the post that she has little say in the matter, she called Anthem’s proposed offer “reasonable.”
Without providing details, O’Laughlin said, “Anthem doubled their rate increase offer. They also will allow policy exceptions to remain in place (those exceptions allow MU to receive extra insurance coverage on services.) The Anthem proposal increase includes paying doctors more.”
As previously reported, patients with certain complex medical conditions such as pregnancy, cancer treatments or those who have recently undergone surgeries, may still temporarily receive in-network rates and are encouraged to call 573-771-CARE.
Patients who are ineligible to receive the in-network rates may have to pay more money out of pocket to see their current MU Health Care doctors and care team. Alternatively, these patients may need to find new in-network providers through other health systems.
At last week’s hearing, MU Health Care CEO Ric Ransom said the hospital system is seeing operating costs rising approximately 7% year after year.
He said that if the hospital system can acquire an increase in reimbursement from a contract made with Anthem, the money would mainly go toward maintaining clinical operations, including urgent care facilities, new clinics and pharmacies.
In response, Rich Novack, president of commercial markets at Elevance Health, Anthem’s parent company, said MU Health Care twice turned down Anthem offers to create a broader continuity-of-care plan.
Novack also accused MU Health Care of “patient abandonment,” which he said is when a provider refuses to see a patient that they used to see simply because of a change in coverage.
