Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and Texas Health Resources announced Dec. 30 a new contract ensuring all Texas Health facilities and physicians will remain in the BCBSTX network of providers.
"Through determined efforts on both sides of the table, the agreement will keep Texas Health Resources in the HMO Blue Texas (Blue Essentials), Blue Choice PPO (BCA), Blue Advantage HMO (BAV) and Blue Cross Medicare Advantage PPO networks with no disruption in service," according to a BCBSTX news release.
Parties have agreed not to disclose additional agreement details beyond what has already been reported, BCBS spokesman Gustavo Bujanda said.
Community Impact Newspaper reported in a Dec. 19 story that THR had been trying to extend its contract with BCBS another 12 months but negotiations had not been successful. The proposed extension would would have provided additional time to discuss a contract between BCBSTX and Southwestern Health Resources, the integrated health network THR created with UT Southwestern Medical Center to blend the strengths of both health care providers.
The partnership, which was announced last October, is an effort to better serve the growing number of residents in North Texas, according to THR. In the Dec. 19 report, representatives from BCBS said the likelihood of reaching such an agreement at such a late date was slim, mostly because THR was asking for rate increases BCBS said would negatively impact its members.
“Although we value our relationship with Texas Health, in aggregate, THR is currently the most expensive health care provider in North Texas,” BCBS spokesman Chris Callahan told Community Impact Newspaper. “Texas Health continues to ask for a rate increase that would cause our members to bear the burden of additional unnecessary and unwarranted costs with no guarantee of better health outcomes. As stewards of our members’ health care coverage dollars, this is unacceptable.”