Columbia/Boone County’s second-largest employer emphasizes that it’s doing all it can to continue their participation in the Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield network.
Columbia-based MU Health Care began notifying patients in December that they’re working to reach an agreement with Anthem to renew the contracts, which will expire on March 31, 2025. MU Health Care chief financial officer Greg Damron joined host Fred Parry on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable”, telling listeners that MU Health Care is being transparent:
“I mean we are asking for a substantial you know either increase in our rates over three years and/or relief from a lot of their operational practices that, you know, both tie up administrative resources and in a lot of cases delay care for our patients,” Mr. Damron tells listeners.
MU Health Care says a new, fair network agreement is essential to their ability to provide high-quality, local care to patients. Anthem has released a statement to 939 the Eagle, saying that MU Health Care is demanding a 39 percent price increase over three years. “No part of this request is in line with customer expectations or increases accepted by other health systems,” Anthem’s statement reads.
Both Columbia-based MU Health Care and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield hope to reach an agreement by March 31, which is when their contracts end. Mr. Damron also notes that health care costs are increasing across-the-board in general:
“Health care generally costs are going up and it’s not just about inflation. There’s utilization of services, costs of new drug categories that are out there on the market,” says Mr. Damron.
You can hear Fred Parry’s full one-hour interview with MU Health Care here. And below is the full statement from an Anthem spokesperson:
“We are currently in discussions with University of Missouri Health Care (MU Health Care) for a multi-year extension to our existing contract. MU Health Care is demanding a price increase of 39% over three years, which is slightly less than their initial proposal. No part of this request is in line with customer expectations or increases accepted by other health systems. One of Anthem’s primary goals is to protect affordability for those we serve. We will continue to work with MU Health Care to reach an agreement that maintains access to affordable care for our members.“
