CIGNA still in talks with Westchester hospitals
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- January
- 2
Negotiations over reimbursement rates are continuing between CIGNA HealthCare and the Pinnacle Health Care Network, which represents four Westchester hospitals that get reimbursed by CIGNA. Until a settlement is reached, some patients will not be eligible for in-network benefits with their current doctors.
This weekend, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield and four other local hospitals reached a deal on new reimbursement rates.
Pinnacle represents Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, Sound Shore Medical Center in New Rochelle, Mount Vernon Hospital and Hudson Valley Hospital Center in Cortlandt.
“We’re still in conversation and are committed to continuing the conversation, but we need to balance fair reimbursement to the hospital system wile trying to keep health care costs as reasonable as possible for our members and their plan sponsors,� said Lindsay Shearer, a spokeswoman for CIGNA Health Care, based in Bloomfield, Conn.
CIGNA notified its patients by letter telling them what procedures to follow, Shearer said.
Patients whose doctors have privileges only at the four hospitals will not be able to receive in-network benefits with those doctors until an agreement is reached; they can call the phone number on the back of their insurance cards to find other providers. Patients currently receiving medical treatment are being allowed to continue under their current plans. Also, members who have doctors with privileges at other hospitals can receive in-network benefits if treated at the other hospitals.
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, January 2nd, 2007 at 3:25 pm by Alison Bert.
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Category: Health care
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