Mercy Ends Contract with Anthem BCBS in Missouri, Patients Affected

Mercy has ended its contract with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in Missouri, leaving patients in a bind.

This change affects Mercy's network of hospitals and clinics across the state, including Mercy Hospital St. Louis and Mercy Hospital Springfield.

Patients who have Anthem BCBS insurance may no longer have in-network access to Mercy's facilities and services.

Those affected will need to find alternative providers or switch to a different insurance plan to maintain access to Mercy's care.

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Mercy patients are concerned about the potential loss of their current provider due to the hospital chain's decision to end contracts with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Laura Irvan, a southeast Missouri woman, received her Triple Negative Breast Cancer diagnosis at Mercy Southeast in 2021 and has established a strong relationship with her Oncologist. She's worried about having to start over with a new provider.

Irvan's experience is not unique, as hundreds of thousands of Missourians could be affected by this change. She's concerned about the sensitive nature of her care and the potential disruption it could cause.

Unless a new agreement is reached, Mercy will move out of network with Anthem on January 1, 2025. This means patients will have to find alternative providers, which can be a daunting task, especially for those who may not have the means to travel elsewhere for care.

Mercy's leadership has stated that Anthem's system creates a burden and barrier for appropriate patient care, but Anthem has countered that they have offered reasonable payment increases and will not agree to drastic price demands.

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Mercy will end its contract with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in Missouri, affecting hundreds of thousands of patients.

The contract issue is due to Anthem's system, which creates a burden and barrier for appropriate patient care, according to Mercy's leadership.

This will be a major loss for both Anthem and Mercy, as many Anthem patients visit Mercy providers or facilities.

Unless a new agreement is reached, Mercy will move out of network with Anthem on January 1, 2025.

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Laura Irvan, a patient who received her Triple Negative Breast Cancer diagnosis at Mercy Southeast in 2021, is concerned about finding a new Oncologist and transferring her care.

The cost of providing care is increasing due to inflation, but Anthem is not keeping pace with rising costs, according to Mercy.

Anthem has offered reasonable payment increases, but Mercy is demanding drastic price changes and contract language that would keep specialty medication unnecessarily expensive.

Patients like Irvan have developed strong relationships with their providers, and changing providers can be a difficult and sensitive process.

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