Stanford Hospital Cancels Anthem Blue Cross Contract After Dispute, Thousands Without Coverage
STANFORD (KCBS)— Some 10,000 Anthem Blue Cross members are no longer covered at Stanford Health Care because of a contract dispute where the hospital abruptly cancelled Anthem's contract.
Anthem's president sent a letter to Stanford, calling on the hospital to rescind its termination so that members could have uninterrupted care. The two sides have been negotiating a new three-year-contract.
A Stanford health-care spokesman told the San Francisco Business Times that they want an agreement for a third year on the exact same terms as the first two, but said Anthem is not agreeing to it.
While contract disagreements are not uncommon between hospitals and health plans, but they don't normally boil over to the point of termination.
Both sides have worked out a deal with Lucille Packard Children's Hospital, which is affiliated with Stanford.