July 19, 2021
RE: CHI MEMORIAL/BLUECROSS BLUESHIELD OF TENNESSEE NETWORK UPDATE
Dear CHI Memorial Patient,
We are reaching out to inform you that CHI Memorial's contract with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST) will end if we do not reach an agreement by September 8, 2021.
Our records show that you have BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST) health insurance and have been treated by a CHI Memorial Medical Group physician or CHI Memorial hospital in the past 18 months, so we wanted to ensure you are aware of this situation, and to provide additional information. If you no longer have coverage under BCBST this does not affect you.
We have been negotiating in good faith with BCBST since November 2020 to continue our participation in BCBST's network.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam id dui eget lorem eleifend imperdiet. Nulla facilisi. Phasellus mi magna, condimentum nec augue in, lacinia viverra libero. Integer et viverra est. Etiam lacinia nulla nec tortor aliquam facilisis. In varius arcu ac erat sodales, vitae maximus sem laoreet. CHI Memorial has requested fair and equitable reimbursement rates and terms, but BCBST has been unwilling to agree to these terms. If an agreement is not reached as of September 8, 2021, all CHI Memorial facilities, physicians and services will be considered out-of-network with BCBST Commercial plans and BlueAdvantage PPO (Medicare Advantage) plans.
Please know that we are still in-network with BlueCross and will be until September 8, 2021. We will continue to treat BCBST members as in-network through the end of 2021.
We plan to continue our discussions with BCBST, and our goal is to renew our contracts before our current agreements end on September 8 to avoid any interruption in service to our patients.Pellentesque aliquam justo ac venenatis vulputate. Sed pretium diam nibh, eu porttitor enim vehicula ut. Suspendisse rutrum orci vel lacinia posuere. Phasellus finibus, libero id dignissim interdum, tortor erat tempus erat, at imperdiet dolor eros quis enim. Aliquam vestibulum neque quis augue fringilla scelerisque. Nulla facilisi. Nullam vel sapien quis risus egestas dignissim. Duis varius, risus sit amet tincidunt porttitor, enim odio dignissim velit, id volutpat ligula diam eu augue. We have every reason to believe that BCBST also wants to reach an agreement that will allow patients to continue to be served by seeing CHI Memorial physicians, nurses and other caregivers.
If you need emergency room care, please note you can go to any hospital, regardless of whether or not they participate in BCBST's network. CHI Memorial's emergency rooms are staffed by an independent physician group and their network participation will not be affected by the possible termination. By law, BCBST has to cover services rendered at a licensed emergency room at an in-network level of benefits, regardless of whether that hospital participates in its network.
In addition, BCBST is required to offer continued network coverage to patients that meet certain requirements, allowing them to continue with CHI Memorial providers at in-network benefit levels for acute services needing ongoing treatment, chronic conditions, or treatment previously authorized. If you have questions about how to obtain and complete a continuity of care form, contact BCBST.
Our top priority at CHI Memorial is providing safe, quality care to those who need it. Our hospitals and physicians are the highest quality and most cost efficient health care system in the market and one of the best in the state.Aliquam egestas porttitor leo, ut semper odio condimentum at. Etiam vestibulum sapien non efficitur tincidunt. Nullam molestie neque dui, vitae condimentum elit fringilla at. We are the only health system in the area with the following quality, safety and service top rankings:
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 5 Stars
- Leapfrog A rating
- US News and World Report - Region's Best Hospital.
The impact of the COVID 19 pandemic to our health system has been significant. We have and continue to experience increased operating costs, workforce shortages and increased levels of uncompensated care due to growth of the uninsured across the region. As a faith-based, notfor-profit organization, all of our revenue is invested back into our health care delivery system to fund operating expenses, technology, facilities and equipment. Provider agreements with insurance companies like BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee are critical, as they allow us to sustain the health services patients depend on.
We know that continued access to CHI Memorial hospitals and physicians is of great concern, and we recognize how important this issue is to our patients. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you. If you have any questions, please call 423.495.4283.
If you are receiving your BCBST benefits through your employer, we encourage you to speak with your Human Resources Benefits Leader or your employer to encourage BCBST to reach an agreement as soon as possible. If you have BlueAdvantage PPO (Medicare Advantage), please call or write to BCBST. We will continue to provide updates and look forward to continuing to serve you.
Sincerely,
Janelle Reilly, CEO
CHI Memorial Health Care System
Glyn Hughes, President
CHI Memorial Medical Group