Clearwater, Fla.-based BayCare Health System is sending 215,000 letters to patients with Florida Blue insurance plans informing them that the system will go out of network with the payer if the sides are not able to agree to a new contract by Oct. 1, the Tampa Bay Times reported Aug. 25.
BayCare accused Florida Blue in the letter of being "unwilling to reach an agreement that would guarantee we can sustain the services that patients like you depend on from the physicians you know and trust," according to the report.
Florida Blue responded that BayCare is asking for "an extremely large increase in the amount they are paid to care for our members," according to the report. The payer added that the increases would "greatly drive up" how much its members pay for services at BayCare and how much members would pay for insurance each month.
About 85,000 Florida Blue members have received care at BayCare within the past six months, according to the report.