Hartford Healthcare, Anthem Reach Deal

HARTFORD, CT — After a seven-week impasse and calls for mediation, Hartford Healthcare and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield reached a three-year deal early Saturday morning.

The inability of the two sides to agree on how much the hospital company would be reimbursed for medical care had left tens of thousands of patients in limbo, forcing them to find a new provider or pay out-of-network costs.

State Comptroller Kevin Lembo called the agreement “bittersweet” today, saying that although it finally delivers relief, it’s “far too late for hundreds of thousands who unacceptably faced disrupted health care. As administrator of the state’s largest employer health plan, I’m grateful to see a resolution, but we must now focus on preventing future disruptions to health care. This case of contract gridlock demands legislative action to protect patients and require mandatory arbitration when large corporations fail to responsibly reach timely agreements.”

The new agreement is retroactive to Oct. 1, which means that any Anthem members who received covered services at Hartford Healthcare facilities will receive coverage for those services at the in-network level.

Read more: http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/hartford_healthcare_anthem_reach_deal_11_18_2017/