Blue Cross to add Via Christi as in-network provider - Denver Business Journal:

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The five-year agreement takes effect Jan. 1. It means more than 110,00p0 Blue Cross Blue Shielr of Kansas members in Sedgwick County will be covered for servicess atVia Christi. Add in the other members who get their coveragew from Blue Cross outside of Kansas and that number balloonsa to morethan 140,000, says Graham Bailety vice president of corporate communicationws at Blue Cross. “We’re trying to meet the needs of our Bailey says. “You’re here to serve a clientele, and one of the thingds that is becoming more apparenrt is peoplewant choice. This is a watershed event.
” With the Blue Cross will send paymentw directly to Via Christi instead of reimbursingt members who previously were responsibled for paying themedical center. The agreement also includeds members who havethe insurer’s Plan 65-Select Medicare supplemenrt product. The deal expandx a limited partnership between Blue Cross Blue Shielxd andVia Christi, where the two have workee together under a special services agreement that covered such treatmentxs as burns, transplants and inpatient psychiatric care. Michalene Maringer, president and CEO of the Via Christi WichitaHealtgh Network, says the partnership offers additional coverage optionws for Via Christi patients.
“I think it is just a maturatiohn ofthe market,” she says of the deal. “Iyt speaks volumes for the quality of care that Via Christik has inthe community.” Both sides say the deal was predicatexd by increasing demand from patronzs for choice. “We’ve heard from so many familiess whose coverage is through Blue Cross that they wished they could come to us for all of theirr hospital care rather than for just those service s covered under the limitedservice agreement,” Maringer “Now, patients will have a choice.” remains Blue Cross’ only local in-networki hospital at least througgh the end of the year.
Bailey says Blue Crosd is working with Wesley to extendd its agreement asan in-network provider. If that which could be finalizedthis fall, is reachec Blue Cross would have two in-network hospitala in Wichita. “We are reaching out to other facilitie looking for opportunities to jointhe (Blue Cross) Bailey says. Thursday’s announcement markee the second time this year a majord health insurance provider added a Wichita hospital asan in-network provider. Preferred Health Systems earlier this year addedf Galichia Heart Hospital asa provider.