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Insurance head calls for end of UMMC, Blue Cross dispute

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Insurance head calls for UMMC, Blue Cross to resolve dispute, cites ‘devastating’ impact on patients

Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney on Thursday penned a letter urging the ‘s largest hospital and insurer to utilize the same mediation that was used to settle their contract dispute in 2018.

Chaney told Mississippi Today that the state’s Department of Insurance will be addressing concerns regarding ‘ access to the of Mississippi Medical Center’s organ transplant unit and ‘s hospital, services that cannot be found elsewhere in the state.

Chaney said he could not elaborate on how his office will be addressing these concerns due to state confidentiality laws.

The hospital and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi have not been in communication since April 1, when UMMC officially went out of network with the insurance company, according to from both entities. Tens of thousands of – some of them gravely ill and others in need of advanced specialties only available at UMMC – are stuck in the middle of the dispute.

“While UMMC and BCBSMS seem to be even further apart today than in 2018, I firmly believe that the parties can again find common ground that duly acknowledges and accounts for the unique role of UMMC as Mississippi’s academic medical center while also respecting BCBSMS’ vital role in maintaining affordable coverage for its enrollees,” the letter from Chaney to Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine at UMMC, and Carol Ann Pigott, chief executive officer of BCBSMS, states.  

“We are open to mediation between the state’s only academic medical center and largest insurer, which is in the best interests of our current and future patients and Mississippi’s health care system,” Marc Rolph, UMMC executive director of communications and marketing, said in a statement.

BCBSMS said it would not be commenting on the matter before responding to Chaney’s letter directly. 

Chaney gave both a deadline of April 27 to respond to his recommendation. Regardless of whether the parties agree to mediation, the Department of Insurance will be addressing concerns that UMMC going out of network with BCBSMS runs afoul of the state’s network adequacy regulations by denying patient’s access to the medical services that cannot be found elsewhere in the state, Chaney said in an interview with Mississippi Today. 

“While we hope that we will have mediation, we will also be addressing network adequacy concerning the Blair Batson Children’s Hospital and transplant unit,” Chaney said.

BCBSMS maintains that even without UMMC, it is still meeting its network adequacy requirement. BCBSMS also said that the remedy in a situation where network adequacy is an issue is for it to network level to its customers for those services, which it has offered to do by directing its members to sign a written direction of payment instructing the insurer to pay the hospital. 

UMMC has declined to accept those payments from BCBS, arguing that it would allow BCBSMS to continue paying at unsustainable rates. 

Though the two parties have had similar contract disputes in previous years, this is the first time UMMC has been removed from BCBSMS’ network. 

As a result, tens of thousands of Mississippians have been left to face higher out-of-pocket medical expenses or find care elsewhere. Potential transplant recipients who have spent months or years on organ donation waitlists have been placed on hold. Parents of children who require specialized care that can only be provided at UMMC’s children’s hospital have been left with costly and inconvenient options for continuing their child’s care. 

UMMC has the state’s only organ transplant center in addition to the only children’s hospital, Level I trauma center, Level IV neonatal intensive care unit and other advanced specialties. 

The arbitration process Chaney recommends in the letter was used by the two parties in 2018, and involves bringing in an expert and impartial mediator who can preside over new contract negotiations. UMMC asked for the same increases to its reimbursement rates in 2018 that it is asking for now, but through a mediator the two parties settled on a deal that didn’t raise rates. 

Instead, Blue Cross agreed to language that made the contract evergreen, meaning the insurance company could no longer change the contract terms at any time.

If the two parties agree to mediation, a deadline will be set for them to settle their differences, Chaney told Mississippi Today. The deadline will likely be  June 1 – 30 days before the end of the 90-day “continuity of care” period, where certain BCBSMS patients can still receive care at UMMC and have their insurance accepted. 

Under state agency rules, Chaney is not allowed to directly mediate or help settle disputes over contacts between insurance companies and health care providers, but in the letter Chaney said that he could recommend a mediator if both parties agreed to the proposal.         

The dispute between UMMC and BCBSMS stems from disagreement over reimbursement rates and Blue Cross’ quality care plan, which measures hospital performance and whether services provided to patients are adequate.

UMMC is asking Blue Cross for substantial increases to inpatient, outpatient and professional reimbursement rates, some as large as 50%. Overall reimbursement from Blue Cross would increase by around 30% in the first year of the new contract. 

Mississippi has the lowest reimbursement rate from commercial insurance companies for inpatient services in the nation, according to a 2021 white paper by the actuarial and consulting firm Milliman. 

While UMMC maintains that BCBSMS is paying them well below market rates for other academic medical centers in the region, BCBSMS argues that agreeing to the increases would necessitate significant premium increases for their customers.

BCBSMS & UMMC – Request… by William Stribling

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

Mississippi News

Mississippi sees 5th largest increase in fatal crashes: study

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www.wjtv.com – Garret Grove – 2024-11-02 12:25:00

SUMMARY: A recent study highlights a troubling rise in road fatalities in Mississippi, with a nearly 31% increase in fatal accidents from 2012 to 2021, ranking it fifth highest in the country. The reported a spike during the 2024 Labor Day , responding to seven fatal crashes resulting in 15 deaths, to only three crashes and six deaths in 2021. Additionally, a 2023 showed Mississippi had the highest per capita fatal crashes during the Christmas period. Young drivers are particularly affected, as Mississippi ranks fifth for teenage driving fatalities nationwide.

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Mississippi News

Vicksburg man charged with assaulting woman in domestic dispute

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2024-11-02 11:33:00

SUMMARY: In Vicksburg, Mississippi, a domestic assault led to the hospitalization of a man and woman on November 2. were alerted by Merit Region after a 28-year-old man, Daron Evans, arrived with a stab wound. Authorities dispatched to the scene found the woman, who had also been assaulted. After receiving treatment, Evans was and charged with aggravated assault domestic violence; he is held without bond until his court appearance. The woman is in stable at the . An investigation is ongoing.

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Mississippi News

Cloudy and humid weekend – Home – WCBI TV

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www.wcbi.com – Sadie Morris – 2024-11-02 10:13:00

SUMMARY: In Columbus, Mississippi, humid and cloudy weather is expected, with temperatures remaining above average in the lower 80s for the upcoming . Rain is forecasted for Election Day on Tuesday, continuing into the week with isolated showers likely. This Saturday will see patchy fog in the morning, clearing by midday, with a high around 80 degrees. Sunday will bring similar humidity, with a high in the lower 80s and mild overnight lows in the mid-60s. Throughout the week, expect persistent clouds and humidity alongside mild temperatures.

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