In a recent healthcare shake-up, some Florida Blue policyholders in Northeast Florida are finding themselves at a crossroads with changes to their coverage. According to News4JAX, Florida Blue Medicare Advantage patients will face a shift in their insurance plan, as Baptist Health's primary care physicians will no longer be in-network starting October 1. This excludes emergency, hospital, outpatient, and specialty physician services for Medicare Advantage members, which remain in-network.
A statement from a Baptist spokesperson relayed to News4JAX reveals a broader context, "We are thankful for the resolution of our new, long-term contract with Florida Blue, which will be beneficial for our community." However, for the myBlue members, all hospital care for those aged 17 and under will hold steady with in-network coverage, while adult myBlue policyholders will see a delineation in services covered.
A glaring shift arises for myBlue members that will lose Baptist Health as an in-network provider, as reported by First Coast News. They have the option to continue their affiliation with Baptist Health at an increased cost by changing their Florida Blue plan. Despite this unsettling news, Baptist Health has agreed to "see and treat myBlue members without interruption and at in-network cost share through (Oct.) 31, 2024".
Concerns from the community have not gone unnoticed, as expressed by Bill Green of Green Insurance in a statement prior to Baptist's elucidation on News4JAX, "People are very excited. They think as basic communications are put out that they believe their primary care is back in network. It’s just it's not, though, so that's not being communicated very well." Florida Blue members enrolled in the Medicare Advantage PPO and HMO networks can anticipate being paired with new primary care providers, states Florida Blue as per Action News Jax. In the interim, the insurer is intent on assisting myBlue members with the transition to other in-network providers in the region.
