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Blue Cross, Hospital At Odds Over Payments

Anthem Patients May Lose Middlesex As Treatment Option

POSTED: 3:37 pm EDT April 21, 2009
UPDATED: 8:49 pm EDT April 21, 2009

If a deal isn't reached between Middlesex Hospital and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in the next two weeks, Anthem patients could be asked to go somewhere else for non-emergency care.

As a Middlesex Hospital patient, Beverly Granat said she knows the hospital and Anthem are having trouble reaching a new contract for reimbursement. She said she received a letter from the hospital that says there may soon be changes in the way Anthem reimburses Middlesex Hospital for non-emergency care.

Granat said she's worried about what will happen if a deal isn't reached by the May 1 deadline.

"I don't know why there's a problem," said Granat, a Higganum resident. "I want it fixed."

According to a statement from the hospital, "Middlesex Hospital is actively working to come to a mutually satisfactory agreement with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. We continue to be hopeful that we will reach an agreement that will allow us to continue providing the high-quality care our patients have come to expect from us."

In a statement to Eyewitness News, Anthem says it "cares deeply about both the quality and affordability of the health care coverage our members receive. We work hard on our member's behalf to negotiate hospital agreements that allow Anthem members appropriate access to quality, affordable health care. We will continue to work with Middlesex Hospital in the hopes of reaching an agreement prior to the contract expiration date."

Granat said she doesn't care who's at fault. She said she just doesn't want to look for a new hospital.

"For convenience, Middlesex has been very good," she said.

As that May 1 deadline approaches, if patients have any procedures scheduled in May, hospital officials said those patients can call Anthem to find out how those will be treated if an agreement isn't reached.

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