Credit: Submitted
Independence Blue Cross has reached a tentative agreement with St. Mary Medical Center’s parent organization.
Representatives from Trinity Health, which operates St. Mary Medical Center, and Independence Blue Cross confirmed the agreement to LevittownNow.com on Wednesday morning. The new agreement will cover all Independence Blue Cross commercial and Medicare Advantage health plan members.
Advertisements
“We are pleased to announce that we anticipate finalizing terms for a new long term contract with Independence Blue Cross (Blue Cross) this week, on a new contract that covers the care we provide to Blue Cross commercial and Medicare Advantage health plan members,” said Ann D’Antonio, vice president of marketing and communications for Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic.
The previous agreement was set to expire on March 31. Customers received letters recently that warned their Independence Blue Cross coverage would be out-of-network at Trinity Health facilities as of April 1.
“We anticipate finalizing terms for a new long term agreement with Trinity Health this week. We expect there will be no interruption of patient care or coverage of services provided by Mercy Health System, St. Mary Medical Center, and Saint Francis Healthcare in Delaware,” said Donna Crilley Farrell, vice president of corporate communications for Independence Blue Cross.
Advertisements
The impasse had the possibility of impacting tens of thousands of Independence Blue Cross members.
Emergency services and some ongoing treatments at St. Mary Medical Center and St. Mary Rehabilitation Hospital in Middletown would have remained available for Independence Blue Cross members.
Advertisements
“We thank the community, patients, all of our employees and healthcare providers for their support during this process. The best healthcare is made possible by working together, and we look forward to continuing to provide in-network covered care for all Blue Cross members thanks to the help of Blue Cross,” D’Antonio said.
The agreement between Trinity Health and Independence Blue Cross has been hailed as a sign of the partnership between the two organizations, according to the health system’s statement.
