Payer Contracting

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi is expected to drop University of Mississippi Medical Center hospitals, clinics and physicians from its network April 1 following a contract dispute.

Oregon has agreed to pay $22.5 million to settle a years-long legal dispute with a company that provided care to Medicaid patients, according to a March 26 Salem Statesman Journal article. 

Baton Rouge (La.) General plans to end its Medicare Advantage contract with Humana if a new deal is not reached by May 3, The Advocate reported March 16. 

Here are six payer-provider contracting disputes and settlements that have occurred since Jan. 1:

BlueCross BlueShield of Texas and Houston-based Memorial Hermann said March 11 they reached a new agreement to keep 100,000 members in-network.

The Green Mountain Care Board is urging the Burlington-based University of Vermont Medicine Health Network to sort out its contract dispute with UnitedHealthcare, which could leave about 2,900 patients at UVM and its affiliates without coverage, VTDigger reported March 8.

Centene Corp.'s Indiana subsidiary has been chosen by the Indiana Department of Administration to continue serving its health plan with Medicaid and Medicare managed care services for four years.

Houston-based Memorial Hermann patients in critical condition insured by BlueCross BlueShield of Texas are still covered under state law, despite the termination of its contract with the payer, Houston Public Media reported March 4.

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Broward Health plans to end its contract with UnitedHealthcare on April 1 if its demands for a new agreement are not met, according to a notification from the health system. 

University of Vermont Medicine Health Network (Burlington) has expressed its intent to end its contract with UnitedHealthcare over administrative and operational hurdles, according to CBS affiliate WCAX.