Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York and Buffalo, N.Y.-based Catholic Health have reached a three-year deal days before their previous contract was set to expire, the Buffalo News reported Dec. 28.
The sides have been negotiating since February, but were at odds over reimbursement rates, according to the report. In the fall, Catholic Health launched a campaign involving billboards, newspaper advertisements and videos to raise awareness around the "high-stakes negotiations."
The previous contract was set to expire Dec. 31, but a cooling-off period meant that patients would have kept in-network access until at least Feb. 28.
Catholic Health operates five hospitals in Western New York and has 900 affiliated physicians.