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Blue Cross, UMMC resolution moving at a ‘snail’s pace,’ Mike Chaney says

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Blue Cross, UMMC resolution moving at a ‘snail’s pace,’ insurance commissioner says

A resolution to the dispute between the state’s largest insurer and hospital is off to a slow start.

Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney said mediation between Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi and the University of Mississippi Medical Center has begun but is moving at a “snail’s pace” so far.

“Some preliminary groundwork has been set,” he said. “… I expect by Monday of next week, it’ll ramp up to full steam.” 

While Chaney does not have authority to force the two parties to agree, he made a pointed statement: “I do have the authority to make them mediate. If either party tries to forestall or hinder mediation, they run the risk of damaging the University (of Mississippi) Medical Center possibly beyond repair. And they run the risk of damaging the health insurance side.” 

Marc Rolph, Executive Director of Communications and Marketing at UMMC, told Mississippi Today that actual mediation will begin next week.

Blue Cross officials said they could not comment on mediation because it was confidential.

Frank Dungan poses for a portrait near Barnett Reservoir in Ridgeland, Miss., Tuesday, May 10, 2022.

Meanwhile, patients are still in the lurch. Frank Dungan of Madison is on the transplant list for a liver at UMMC. But because the hospital is out of network with his insurer, he has been marked “inactive” on the list. 

In mid-May, Chaney asked both Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi and the University of Mississippi Medical Center to provide a cost estimate for what a liver transplant would cost Dungan while the hospital is out of network with his insurer. 

Despite the insurance company directing him to go out of state and enroll in another transplant program. Dungan said he asked for his doctor to refer him to one of those transplant programs out of state, but the program never responded.   

Dungan wants to stay at UMMC, where he has years-long relationships with his doctors. He wanted to know what it would cost him to stay there and get the procedure – but he was having no luck getting any numbers from either UMMC or Blue Cross. 

After Chaney sent the letter, UMMC provided a cost estimate for the surgery to Dungan and Chaney, and representatives for Blue Cross provided an amount to Chaney. Both asked Dungan to keep the numbers confidential, he said, but he would have had to pay a significant amount to make up the difference in what the insurance company was willing to pay and what UMMC would charge. 

There were further conversations between the two, Dungan said, but he never received anything in writing. He’s also been unable to get any cost estimates of what the immunosuppressants post-surgery would cost. 

Two weeks after the communication from Blue Cross and UMMC, he’s dealing with additional medical problems. 

Dungan’s knees locked up and began swelling. He couldn’t walk, which led him to the emergency room and later received injections of steroids. Now, he’s trying to figure out whether he’ll need surgery before he’s able to get a transplant. 

He also discovered he again has an esophageal condition caused directly by his liver disease. The condition requires a procedure.

He’s frustrated that he’s having to see a provider outside of UMMC for his issues.

“It makes it more difficult, it makes it more complex for me to schedule and keep up with my health care appointments,” he said. “I’m sure they’re doing the best they can to communicate, but it’s two different systems.”

Chaney’s office is continuing to hear from Mississippians with questions about the dispute – including those who receive care that can only be found at UMMC – and what it means for their medical care. 

Chaney said he is trying to work with individuals on a case-by-case basis, particularly those who use Children’s of Mississippi or who are on the organ transplant list. 

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: November 22-24

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2024-11-22 08:50:00

SUMMARY: This weekend (November 22-24), Mississippi offers a variety of events for everyone. Highlights include the Fleet Feet Coffee Run in Ridgeland, the Miss Magnolia State Pageant in Vicksburg, and the Handworks Holiday Market in Jackson. In Jackson, enjoy exhibits like “Dinosaurs Around the World” and “Of Salt and Spirit,” plus festive activities such as the “Magic of Lights” display and the “Journey to the North Pole” exhibit. In Hattiesburg, check out the Faculty Artist Series, the Pine Belt Holiday Expo, and the Ford Foundation Turkey Trot. Other events include markets, festivals, and live music throughout the state.

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Mississippi News

Attorneys file motion to delay Jackson bribery trial

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2024-11-21 16:41:00

SUMMARY: In connection with the Jackson bribery scandal, attorneys for federal officials and local leaders filed a motion to postpone the trial to allow time for extensive evidence review, including hours of recordings and thousands of pages of documents. Key figures charged include Hinds County DA Jody Owens, Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba, and Councilman Aaron Banks, each facing multiple counts of conspiracy related to bribery and fraud. The scandal involves alleged bribes amounting to over $80,000 related to a downtown development project, facilitated by individuals posing as real estate developers working with the FBI.

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Family of Dexter Wade rallies outside JPD nearly two years after his death

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www.wjtv.com – Tia McKenzie – 2024-11-20 14:20:00

SUMMARY: Nearly two years after Dexter Wade’s death, his family continues seeking justice. On November 20, Dexter Wade Day was observed in Jackson, declared by Councilman Kenneth Stokes. Wade, hit by a Jackson police cruiser in March 2023, was later found in a pauper’s grave in Hinds County, and his mother, Bettersten Wade, was unaware of his death until August 2023. She believes his death was covered up. No arrests have been made, and authorities consider it an accident. Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade expressed condolences and shared updates on new policies to prevent similar tragedies.

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