Anniston Star
A fight over money between Regional Medical Center and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama could leave the insurer’s customers without coverage at the Anniston-based hospital network in September.
RMC officials say Blue Cross should pay more for the hospital’s services to match what the insurer pays other area hospitals — allowing it to stay competitive. Meanwhile, Blue Cross says it won’t increase its reimbursements to RMC, arguing that to do so would raise customers’ premiums too much.
In a Thursday press release, Blue Cross stated that RMC is terminating its contract with the company, effective Sept. 12. As a result, most services offered at RMC will not be covered by Blue Cross insurance after that date, the press release states. Blue Cross will still be required to cover any emergency treatments performed in RMC’s emergency rooms.
After Sept. 12, the nonprofit RMC will become the only hospital in Alabama not included in Blue Cross’ statewide network, the press release states. Blue Cross has been informing its customers and the medical community about the situation in recent days and pointing them to other hospitals to use instead of RMC.