Memorial hospitals removed from Florida Blue network after contract talks fail
Thousands of southern Broward County residents with Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance are being denied in-network coverage for services at Memorial Healthcare System hospitals as of Tuesday.
The insurer and provider failed to come to terms on a long-term pricing contract prior to the Aug. 31 expiration of the previous contract, resulting in Florida Blue removing Memorial’s six hospitals from its preferred provider network.
That means Memorial patients in need of major surgeries will have to pay high out-of-pocket rates at Memorial hospitals or schedule them at hospitals outside of southern Broward to get discounted in-network rates.
Treatment for COVID-19 at Memorial hospitals is still covered, both companies said. In addition, patients treated for an ongoing condition may qualify for six additional months of covered treatment under what’s called a “continuity of care” approval.
