Insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield has been in negotiations with health systems across the country throughout the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Here are five major updates from the company since May 24:
1. On March 1, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas was supposed to stop providing in-network access at the Houston-based Memorial Hermann health system, but reached a four-year coverage agreement on March 10. There was no coverage gap in network participation for patients.
2. On May 24, Blue Cross Blue Shield updated its colonoscopy policy after a patient in Greensboro, N.C., complained about a lack of coverage for the procedure.
3. On Oct. 26, Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Medicine reached an agreement with CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield to keep its ASCs in the CareFirst network.
4. On Jan 9, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee ended its relationship with Memphis-based Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, removing its 11 locations from its network.
5. On Jan. 31, a contract between Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas and Austin-based Ascension Texas is set to expire, leaving patients out-of-network.