Preserving Quality Health Care in Hanover
Hanover Hospital has committed itself to this community to being the provider
of choice. To keep this promise to the community the organization has developed
several strategic initiatives including assessing and negotiating its managed care
contracts. Over the past several months, we have evaluated and renegotiated
our contracts with Aetna, Highmark, HealthAmerica and United. We have done
this to ensure fair reimbursement for the services we provide and consistent
reimbursement from all of the companies for the same services.
It is unfortunate that Hanover Hospital has not been able to reach the same
agreement with Capital BlueCross. Capital BlueCross has not been willing to
renegotiate their contract to a fair and equitable level.
Hanover Hospital has expressed the following concerns:
- Capital BlueCross pays the hospital far less, for the same services,
than all the other major insurance companies such as Aetna,
Highmark, HealthAmerica and United.
- Each of those other companies is able to sell their health insurance
products in this market, pay Hanover Hospital a fair rate and make a
fair profit. Capital BlueCross could do the same, but has chosen not to.
- Even by paying us at the same level as the other major insurance
companies, we are, by far, less expensive than our competitors in
York and Gettysburg for the very same services.
As a result of this impasse, Hanover Hospital will be terminating its contract
with Capital BlueCross effective July 1, 2012. “We are taking these steps to
protect the long term financial health of Hanover Hospital and to insure our
ability to serve the community and to reinvest in our employees, our programs
and services.” said George Kyriacou, President and CEO of Hanover Hospital.
What does this mean for our patients?
Hanover Hospital will continue to accept Capital BlueCross as a provider from
individuals and businesses in the community. We are providing this information
to the community now so that all individuals and businesses who have Capital
BlueCross as their insurance provider have ample notification and be able to plan
for insurance coverage in 2012. Again, Hanover Hospital’s contract with Capital
BlueCross is effective until July 1, 2012.
“If Capital BlueCross were willing to agree to a phased improvement in their
reimbursement to parity with all other payers, we would be happy to withdraw our
termination notice.” Kyriacou said. “We would look forward to this resolution.”
The current contract wth Capital BlueCross and Hanover Hospital is
effective until July 1, 2012.
For questions and more information, please contact Lisa M. Duffy, Director of
Marketing at (717) 646-6906 or (717) 633-2141. |