Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Health Insurance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Wayne County monitoring Blue Cross negotiations that could affect employee access to providers
Summary
Human Resources told the Ways and Means committee that Blue Cross negotiations with major health systems could change which providers are in-network for county employees; staff said negotiations run through June 30 and promised to keep employees informed and provide updates to the commission.
Wayne County human-resources officials told the Ways and Means committee that ongoing contract talks between Blue Cross and provider systems could affect county employees’ access to in-network providers and that the county is monitoring potential impacts.
"Blue Cross did provide notification to the county and also provided notification to the employees that potentially are impacted by the negotiations," PHR Director Donna Wilson said. She said county staff were "hopeful" negotiations would avoid separation or disruption of services and that the county would provide as much advance notice as possible if changes occur.
Procurement Director Aaron Wagner said negotiations run through June 30 and county staff are in regular contact with Blue Cross to understand transition planning should an agreement not be reached. Officials advised employees who rely on specific providers to monitor scheduling because some providers could become out-of-network and require a choice between staying out-of-network or changing physicians.
No formal action was taken; county staff said they would continue to inform commissioners and employees and would work with Blue Cross to minimize service disruption.
