Atlanta-based Northside Hospital and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Georgia have agreed to a new contract after a dispute that included a hearing before the Georgia Supreme Court.
The health system said the new contract, effective immediately, will give Anthem members in-network access to Northside's hospitals, physicians and other outpatient locations in Georgia "for the foreseeable future," according to a July 12 news release.
About 400,000 Northside patients have Anthem insurance.
In 2021, Anthem notified Northside it wanted to change its contract, alleging Northside charged more than most metro hospitals. Northside said the contract was not up for renewal and argued a Georgia bill signed into law during the pandemic prohibited payers from terminating a provider's in-network coverage for up to 150 days after a public health emergency.
The dispute went before the Georgia Supreme Court in May. The court's decision was expected within six months of the hearing, but Justice Nels Peterson said it "might be to the benefit of everybody for y'all just to work this out and moot this case."
"I'm pleased we were able to come to a resolution on behalf of our members," Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Georgia President Robert Bunch said in the release. "Our new agreement with Northside continues and enhances our partnership, continuing access to quality care for Georgians, which is our focus."