The multi-year agreement includes all Anthem insurance products in which UC Health currently participates, said Anthem spokeswoman Kim Ashley in a statement.
“Anthem is committed to providing our members with access to affordable, quality health care, and will continue to work on behalf of the greater Cincinnati community,” Ashley said. “We would like to express our sincere appreciation to our many customers and members for their patience and understanding during this process.”
Anthem and UC health were negotiating rates Anthem pays for care its members receive from UC Health services. The existing two-year contract expired at the end of Monday, and affects an estimated 14,000 people in the region.
“We truly understand the impact this situation has had on our patients who receive services at UC Health. I’m pleased that the matter has been resolved with Anthem and that patients will not be charged out-of-network rates for their care,” said Jim Kingsbury, president and chief executive officer of UC Health, in a statement released Saturday.
At one point during talks in recent weeks, UC Health system spokeswoman Diana Lara said it will not make patients pay higher out-of-network fees if the hospital group didn’t come to terms with Anthem in time.
UC Health asked for a cost of living increase in reimbursement rates, according to a statement posted March 29 on the organization’s social media website Twitter. The contract covers University of Cincinnati Medical Center, West Chester Hospital, and UC Physicians, a group of about 700 doctors, as well as other facilities.
University of Cincinnati Medical Center is a Level One trauma center for emergency services and an academic center.
Anthem did not provide details as to whether UC Health received the higher rates it was asking for.
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