Tenet Health Systems terminates contact with BCBSGA
Tenet Health System has terminated its contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia effective 7/1/2010. Tenet Health System is comprised of several health care providers including five hospitals: Atlanta Medical Center, North Fulton Hospital, South Fulton Medical Center, Spalding Regional Medical Center and Sylvan Grove Hospital. According to BCBSGA, the company knows that their customers “value the care Tenet Health System provided to our members and we made considerable effort to keep them in our network.” However no agreement was ever finalized.
BCBSGA has ensured its members that services rendered by Tenet providers are available from other in-network area providers in the area. According to the company they have implemented several tools to assist their clients with this network change. The company stated that the termination does not impact any of the more than 185 hospitals that are part of extensive BCBSGA networks throughout Georgia. If you are considering BCBSGA insurance and have specific questions about the Tenet Health Systems terminated contract, please contact Medicoverage Inc.
Comments and Questions
Click to leave a CommentComment from Mike Solis on June 29, 2010
Looks like a deal was finally made. Check it out here: http://www.medicoverage.com/health-insurance-blog/news/tenet-and-blue-cross-blue-shield-of-georgia-finally-come-to-an-agreement/
Comment from BubbaTenet on June 16, 2010
Both companies are at fault. Blue Cross Blue Shield historically a bad payor to physicians especially with their HMO/POS products. Tenet of Georgia is at fault with their general poor management of local hospitals and physician practices. Their hospitals are not preferred by most patients or physicians placing them in a poor bargaining position. Unfortunately, as both of the companies play chicken with each other, patients and hospital employees will likely pay the price.
Comment from Daniel S on June 02, 2010
This situation creates a hardship for BCBS’ members. My grandmother is finding this out the hard way. My guess is that health insurers have much greater profit margins than hospitals and doctors. I am not against BCBS making money, but there has to be something they can do to keep hospitals in their network and not disrupt established relationships for their members.
Comment from Health Reform Guy on June 01, 2010
There is a lot of banter on this page blaming BCBSGA. I think the blame should be shared with Tenet, its doctors and its patients (thats you and me). The fee structure for health care is rediculus. What BCBSGA and Tenet are fighting over is how much they are going to charge us LESS than those people without insurance. Shouldn’t there just be one price that we all pay and know about in advance. Shame on doctors for charging more (or less) for the same proceedure or MRI. Shame on us for getting health treatment without even knowing the cost. Would you ever get work done on your car without knowing the price?!?!?? NO!!! So we should stop getting work done on our body without knowing the price in advance.
I’m not a big fan of insurance companies….That being said… until there is transparancy of costs, we are best off having our health insurance co that fight for the lowest negociated rates out there.
Comment from Sabrina on June 01, 2010
I can’t afford to have my premiums go up again next year. And i refuse to pay for an insurance plan that doesn’t include my hospital or doctor. BCBSGA needs to get back to the table and work this out so that I can continue to see my doctor. I will switch to a different plan before I pay another penny to BCBSGA if this is the way they choose to do business.
Comment from Mia on June 01, 2010
Blue Cross says they have ensured their members can access services from “other in-network area providers” but I don’t want another provider - I want my doctor. My doctor is at Atlanta Medical Center, and I trust him to know what is best for me. Maybe Blue Cross should stop making decisions about my health care and leave that up to me and my doctor.
Comment from Reed on May 29, 2010
Just another arrogant and profit driven move by Anthem against hospital providers who are actually providing care to their members. This typifies the gross use of force and unabashed arrogance against the medical community to squeeze their profits out of the providers who are actually providing the health services. And where is the member in all of this? Having to travel 50-100 miles to the next BCBSGA hospital In Network provider because BCBSGA can’t work out a fair deal? Get back to the table, BCBSGA. Your premium paying members are counting on you.
Comment from Carter Davidson on May 28, 2010
I’m pretty sure Blue Cross of Georgia is owned by Anthem or Wellpoint or whatever they’re calling themselves these days. Those guys are a huge corporation that is only concerned about jacking our insurance rates through the roof and sucking the blood out of our wallets.
I saw something about one of the affected hospitals having offered to cap their rate increases at the same level as Anthem raises our insurance rates. I will be watching this situation closely to see if those greedy Anthem people step up and do the right thing and accept the hospital’s offer or if they just try to confuse the public with some kind of big insurance jargon.
You’re not going to get out of the spotlight Anthem until you do the right thing!!! The government is on to your greedy schemes. It’s time for you to do the right thing and stop being THE PROBLEM!!!
Comment from Lynn on May 28, 2010
I’m so tired of hearing about these types of battles. Insurance companies continue to expect the public or hospitals systems to foot the bill for the profits they refuse to compromise. They try to force unacceptable rates on hospitals or they raise their premiums. In my opinion, neither of those options are particularly attractive. I thought healthcare was about providing quality care to the people. Seems to me, this is a profit issue for BCBSGA…shame on you BCBSGA.
Comment from Aashu on May 28, 2010
Where is patient in all this? Blue Cross needs to do right by its members and use the dollars to pay for care.
Comment from Brian Pastor on May 28, 2010
These types of contract disputes are becoming all too common. Insurance companies don’t want to pay what they should for care and hospitals need adequate payments to help cover care to the uninsured, underinsured or Medicare and Medicaid patients. I side with the hospital because they save lives. Hospitals operate for the people insurance companies operate for the profits. It’s that simple.