As Anthem BlueCross BlueShield and Northside Hospital work to reach a new agreement, about 400,000 Georgia patients are left waiting to determine whether they’ll need to find new doctors soon.
Some of the patients recently spoke with Atlanta’s 11 Alive about their concerns, and the vice president at Northside Hospital told the station that the hospital didn’t anticipate “this unplanned termination” of agreements with the insurance company. The hospital has worked with Anthem for about three decades. Northside Hospital Vice President Lee Echols told 11 Alive in a new report: “Northside has called tens of thousands of patients, making them aware of Anthem’s intentions and providing guidance in their decision-making.”
Anthem BlueCross BlueShield released a statement:
“In the metro-Atlanta area, healthcare costs are escalating rapidly. Northside is one of the most expensive systems in Georgia, and the current contract doesn’t adequately align incentives to improve quality and affordability for our members. That’s why we notified officials at Northside that we intend to reach a new agreement by the end of this year so we can keep its facilities and physicians in our network. We know that by working together we can ensure higher quality and better health outcomes for our members.”