Nearly four months in, still no developments in mediation between UMMC and Blue Cross

The contract dispute between the state’s largest insurer and hospital continues to be not resolved greater than three months after the 2 events started mediation proceedings.

Blue Cross & Blue Protect of Mississippi and College of Mississippi Medical Middle have been locked in a dispute over reimbursement charges all through 2022. The Medical Middle went out of community with Blue Cross on March 31, and since then, hundreds of Mississippians have been compelled to tackle increased out-of-pocket prices for his or her well being care or depart the state for sure specialty care.

The 2 events agreed to make the most of a mediation course of to settle the dispute in April after Insurance coverage Commissioner Mike Chaney urged them to take action. 

“The commissioner (Mike Chaney) is definitely very hopeful that the events could make nice progress, if not discover a decision, by early June,” Mark Haire, deputy commissioner of insurance coverage, advised Mississippi At this time in early Might.

Evidently, that hope was misplaced.

Patrice Guilfoyle, director of communications at UMMC, advised Mississippi At this time on Tuesday that there’s “no replace at this level” on mediation proceedings. Blue Cross didn’t reply to requests for remark by the point of publication. 

Chaney advised Mississippi At this time he has not had any contact with both occasion or the mediator regarding mediation since earlier than Sept. 5. Beneath state company guidelines, Chaney will not be allowed to immediately mediate or assist settle disputes over contacts between insurance coverage firms and well being care suppliers. 

There isn’t any requirement the 2 events come to an settlement.

A focused market conduct examination of Blue Cross that Chaney ordered on July 1 is ongoing. The examination is to find out whether or not the insurer is in compliance with the state’s community adequacy rules since UMMC offers specialty care that can’t be discovered elsewhere in Mississippi.

Chaney advised Mississippi At this time on Tuesday that the community adequacy evaluate is almost full however can’t be completed till UMMC offers his workplace with supplies which were subpoenaed.

“It (the community adequacy evaluate) will in all probability be stunning to a number of of us,” Chaney mentioned.

Blue Cross sued high UMMC staff on July 28 over the general public relations marketing campaign the hospital has been waging in opposition to the insurer attributable to their contract dispute. The insurer claims the marketing campaign was “designed to disseminate false and defamatory statements about Blue Cross to the general public.”

In commercials and public statements made by staff, the declare was made that the insurer “excluded” UMMC from its community of suppliers, although it was UMMC who voluntarily allowed its contract with Blue Cross to run out. 

It’s unclear how that lawsuit has impacted the progress of mediation proceedings.