Blue Cross to add Via Christi as in-network provider - Pittsburgh Business Times:

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The five-year agreement takes effect Jan. 1. It means more than 110,0090 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas member in Sedgwick County will be covered for services at Via Add in the other members who get their coverage from Blue Cross outside of Kansas and that number balloons to more than says Graham Bailey vice president of corporatse communications atBlue Cross. “We’rd trying to meet the need of our members,” Bailey says. “You’re here to serves a clientele, and one of the thingsw that is becoming more apparen t is peoplewant choice. This is a watershed event.
” With the Blue Cross will send payments directly to Via Christi instead of reimbursinb members who previously were responsible for paying themedical center. The agreement also includes members who havethe insurer’w Plan 65-Select Medicare supplemen product. The deal expands a limited partnershio between Blue Cross Blue Shield andVia Christi, wherer the two have worked together under a specia l services agreement that covered such treatments as burns, transplants and inpatieng psychiatric care. Michalene Maringer, president and CEO of the Via Christi WichitaHealth Network, says the partnership offers additionap coverage options for Via Christi patients.
“I thin it is just a maturation of the she says ofthe deal. “Itf speaks volumes for the quality of care that Via Christ has inthe community.” Both sideds say the deal was predicated by increasinvg demand from patrons for choice. “We’ve heard from so many families whose coverage is through Blue Cross that they wishedf they could come to us for all of theitr hospital care rather than for just those services covered undert the limitedservice agreement,” Maringer says. “Now, patients will have a Meanwhile, remains Blue Cross’ only local in-network hospital at leas t through the end ofthe year.
Bailey says Blue Crosse is working with Wesley to extend its agreement asan in-network provider. If that deal, whichg could be finalized this fall, is reached Blue Cros s would havetwo in-network hospitals in Wichita. “Wse are reaching out to othere facilities looking for opportunitieds to jointhe (Blue Cross) network,” Bailey Thursday’s announcement marked the second time this year a major health insurance provider addesd a Wichita hospital as an in-network provider. Preferred Health Systema earlier this year added Galichia Heart Hospital asa provider.