Share:
On the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, America’s health care systems are facing unprecedented challenges: rising wages and benefits, inflationary supply costs, changing business models in the payer and pharmaceutical industries, and lagging reimbursement, to name a few.
One of the most notable shifts impacting patients is the relationship between health systems and insurance companies. Citing excessive prior authorization denials and slow payments, many systems are rejecting some insurance plans.
Adventist Health, a California-based system with 17 hospitals and 400 clinics, recently cut ties with Blue Shield of California. Significantly for our communities, Providence Health & Services notified Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oregon that it may leave the Regence network.
This latest development could directly affect patients in the Rogue Valley and carry serious financial implications for Asante employees covered by the Asante Employee Benefits Plan who see Providence providers.
If Providence moves out of network, the cost of many services could increase dramatically. To help our employees who seek medical care, Asante reminds team members that they can receive expedited access to APP services.
Patients seeking to establish with a new primary care provider can call (541) 789-1234 to get an appointment within two weeks. Similarly, those already covered by the Asante Health Plan can call this number or their established APP provider clinic to receive acute care Monday through Friday.
Asante’s leadership team continues to provide enhanced benefits and reduced expenses for Asante Health Plan patients. This includes reduced copays for APP primary care visits, lower costs for visits to Asante Immediate Care, and an additional 10% discount for members receiving care in Asante facilities.
As Asante continues to pivot in the face of a rapidly changing health care landscape, our aim is to continue providing excellent care and access to all our patients, and particularly our team members.
Tags: access, Asante Health Plan, commercial payers, Doug Ward, employees, Providence, Regence, turmoil
If you have a question, please contact the author or relevant department directly.
