Editor's note: The headline and article were updated Aug. 4 to reflect that Chesapeake Regional Healthcare and Cigna Healthcare reached a two-year agreement that is effective through July 31, 2025.
Original article: Cigna Healthcare and Chesapeake (Va.) Regional Medical Center will be out of network June 30 for those with employer-sponsored health coverage.
Patients in need of emergency services will be able to continue to receive care at the hospital, according to a May news release shared with Becker's.
"It is unfortunate that Cigna created this predicament, resulting in misspent time and energy," Reese Jackson, president and CEO of Chesapeake Regional Healthcare, said in May. "We have been more than accommodating by responding to Cigna's desires for new contractual terms and are extremely perplexed that Cigna would mislead its members with an assertion that Chesapeake Regional is requiring higher-than-average rates."
“We want to keep health care affordable, especially as our clients and customers are managing rising prices due to inflation. Unfortunately, the majority of services that our customers access at Chesapeake General are more expensive than other local hospitals, and each year their rate increases have outpaced other area hospitals," a Cigna Healthcare spokesperson told Becker's. “We will continue negotiating and hope that they will do what is best for the community we both serve to reach a fair agreement before our contract ends June 1. If Chesapeake General refuses to agree to a reasonable, affordable contract,we will help our customers find other quality, in-network providers nearby.”