Last year, Arlington Heights, Ill.-based Alexian Brothers Health Systems was in-network for Land of Lincoln enrollees. But at the end of 2015, negotiations stalled between Alexian and Land of Lincoln due to reimbursement rates. Now Alexian Brothers isn’t sure of its network status at all.
Land of Lincoln created a new health plan with Hinsdale, Ill.-based Adventist Midwest Health in 2015, and it hoped Alexian Brothers would join, according to Robert Wright, Alexian Brothers’ vice president of managed care contracting. The plan gave consumers a variety of benefits, including less expensive premium prices than Land of Lincoln’s traditional PPO plan.
But joining the Adventist-Land of Lincoln plan would have made Alexian Brothers take a major reimbursement rate decrease, according to Mr. Wright. He said the rate cuts were unacceptable, and he made Land of Lincoln a counteroffer. However, he never heard back.
Now Mr. Wright has said he’s “in the dark” about Alexian Brothers’ network status with the insurance co-op. On Jan. 4, Land of Lincoln’s website said Alexian Brothers was in-network. But on Jan. 22, the insurer’s website had been changed — Alexian was no longer listed as an in-network provider.
“I’m confused here,” Mr. Wright said, according to the report. “I’m not sure how we are going to serve our patients. I’m obviously going to have a frank phone call with Land of Lincoln.”
Mr. Wright added that Land of Lincoln enrollees needing ongoing care should contact Alexian Brothers directly.
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