Phoenix Children's Hospital and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona have finally ended their standoff, reaching an agreement that restores in-network access for many Arizona families. After a dispute that sparked worry among patients and their supporters, the two parties announced that a new, multi-year agreement was in place. According to ABC15, AZ Blue revealed on Saturday morning that effective immediately, families with PCH in their plans could now receive in-network care.
Phoenix Children’s President and CEO, Robert L. Meyer, acknowledged the tension the situation created, stating, "We recognize this has been a difficult time for families navigating out-of-network coverage options. As with previous contract discussions, Phoenix Children’s has been working diligently on behalf of our patients to ensure agreements with insurance providers serve the needs of our growing community, and we had to get it right." These words, obtained by ABC15, reflect the hospital's commitment to provide for its patients.
On their side, AZFamily reported that the agreement comes after four months of Phoenix Children's being out-of-network. Claims processed during the period the hospital was out-of-network will be re-processed as in-network, though the organizations caution this could take some time.
Adding to the specifics, Blue Cross Blue Shield outlined steps for members to monitor their benefits and keep abreast of the changes. "Members are encouraged to monitor their benefits by registering or logging into their AZ Blue member portal at //azblue.com/member," the insurer stated in a AZFamily news release. The deal includes access to a gamut of services at Phoenix Children’s, providing families with in-network options for vital healthcare services like inpatient, outpatient, trauma, surgical, emergency, urgent, and primary care.
The financial rift that led to the network disconnect was significant, with the hospital and the insurer publicly disagreeing on terms and figures. An $80 million raise was part of the dispute, with Blue Cross Blue Shield alleging the hospital turned it down, while Phoenix Children's labeled the figure "fictional", contending the true offer was more in the region of $43 million. Regardless, these details appear to have been ironed out, to the relief of affected families.
