No agreement made with Salinas Valley Health and Anthem Blue Cross, what this means for patients
SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) Patients who have Anthem Blue Cross and go to Salinas Valley Health are wondering what’s next as Tuesday's deadline for an agreement between the two passed without a deal.
Some 11,000 patients were left wondering what the future could hold for them at Salinas Valley Health.
"There's the stress of will I find one in Salinas if I have to go to Monterrey. That's gas. That's more time away from work," said Jess Barreras a patient with Salinas Valley Health.
Jess Barrera is a patient at Salinas Valley Health. His insurance is with Anthem Blue Cross.
He is a heart transplant candidate. He sees four doctors at the hospital.
"I currently wear a bag of batteries a while around with me 24 hours a day," says Barrera.
"He is now actively looking for another hospital because of this dispute. He is not happy about the possibility of losing the doctors who he has been with him for years," said Barrera.
"I see four different doctors in that in that group, along with my wife, has two doctors and my son has two doctors all within this group. So together we all see eight different doctors and have been going there for 20. Three years. and so, I mean, there's been a trust that's been built between me and my doctors," said Barrera.
Read more: Salinas Valley Health Anthem Blue Cross Still Have No Deal Reached
Stephanie has Anthem Blue Cross and is worried for her and her children.
"It greatly concerns me as a parent, because when you're a parent trying to receive medical care for your children," said Stephanie Ginise.
Here is a statement from Anthem Blue Cross:
“It’s disappointing that Salinas Valley Health would threaten to terminate its contract with us unless we agree to significantly increase local health care costs for our members, employers, and families in Monterey County.”
In a statement Salinas Valley Health CEO Pete Delgado said in part quote:
“It’s unfortunate that we have reached the August 1 deadline and Anthem Blue Cross has not agreed to a new contract or to extend the current contract to protect patients. As I previously promised patients, if Anthem will not do the right thing, Salinas Valley Health will. Although effective today, we are technically out-of-network with Anthem, we are treating all Anthem patients at our hospital and Salinas Valley Health clinics as if they are in-network.”
County Supervisor Luis Alejo is disappointed with the situation. He says both sides have had since February to come to an agreement.
"We will see thousands of the other patients that will be out of network,” said Alejo.
The hospital says it will be providing patients with at least 30 days’ notice of any changes to their in-network treatment.
Now the hospital says that if a patient is currently receiving treatment for certain types of diseases or illnesses they can go on their web page and apply for a “continuity of care” that should give them more time as the two sides continue to negotiate.
