Northeast Georgia Health System and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Georgia have extended a new two-year agreement.
The agreement covers the health system’s facilities, including all Northeast Georgia Medical Center hospitals, Northeast Georgia Physicians Group practices, Urgent Care locations, Georgia Heart Institute locations, Laurelwood, long-term care facilities, and other outpatient facilities.
The extension guarantees continued access for Anthem members with employer-based health plans.
“We are pleased at the collaborative nature of the discussions and at the willingness of both parties to work together to ensure our patients have certainty about their access to services at NGHS,” said Steve McNeilly, chief operating officer of population health and vice president of managed care operations for NGHS.
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Georgia President Robert Bunch said the agreement will continue to make quality health care accessible for its insurance holders in Northeast Georgia.
“We value our collaborative relationship with NGHS as we work together to tackle healthcare affordability and improve lives and communities for the Georgians we mutually serve,” said Bunch.
The announcement comes ahead of open enrollment, which is important given that UnitedHealthcare insurance holders were left in the lurch when NGHS and United failed to reach an agreement when their contract expired earlier this year.
United remains out of network.
“Because of this new agreement, our community can confidently choose Anthem when they enter open enrollment this fall,” said McNeilly.
Click here for a list of current NGHS in-network insurance providers.
