Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi and University of Mississippi Medical Center have agreed to use mediation to settle their contract dispute, Mississippi Today reported April 27.
The agreement comes after Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney wrote a letter April 21 urging the state's largest hospital and insurer to use the mediation process. The sides had not been in communication since April 1 when the hospital went out of network with the insurance company. He gave them an April 27 deadline to agree.
The process involves bringing in an expert and impartial mediator who can preside over new contract negotiations, according to the report. Mr. Chaney told Mississippi Today he will be providing recommendations for potential mediators by next week.
After the sides agree on the mediator, a deadline will be set for them to settle their differences, according to the report. Mr. Chaney said the deadline will likely be June 1.
The medical center and Blue Cross used the same mediation process to settle their last contract dispute in 2018, according to the report.