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November 14, 2009

Hamilton reports progress with insurers

By Charles Oliver

Hamilton Health Care System officials will be meeting with officials with insurance company United Healthcare this week to discuss a contract between the two organizations, according to Hamilton CEO designate Jeff Myers.

Myers, who will become Hamilton CEO in January, and current president and CEO John Bowling spoke to The Daily Citizen about Hamilton’s efforts to expand the number of health care networks it is a member of.

“We mailed contracts to some of the major insurance payers in September. We are now in varying discussions with each of the payers regarding these agreements,” said Bowling. “Some of the payers are in the process of reviewing our proposals. In some instances, we are reviewing counter proposals that have been offered by some of the payers.”

Hamilton mailed those proposals to Humana, United Healthcare, Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

In April, several local business and political leaders sent a letter to Bowling expressing concern that Hamilton and many local doctors accept few major health insurance plans and asking for local health care providers to take part in a larger number of health insurance networks. Hamilton officials said then they would try to have some agreements in place by the time companies began open enrollment this year.

Bowling acknowledged that some firms may have already begun open enrollment, but he said that he still hoped contracts could be signed with some of the major players by the end of the year. He said that would depend on how swiftly the insurance companies respond to their proposals.

The United meeting is currently the only face-to-face meeting scheduled, but Myers says that isn’t unusual. He says it’s normal for most of these discussions to be conducted over the phone or by exchanging documents.

Myers and Bowling say they have concluded some new contracts with some health insurance companies, including a new open contract with Cigna that will allow all their customers access to Hamilton.

Cigna officials did not return telephone messages left at their offices last week.

“We are currently in discussions with Hamilton Health Care. We do not disclose specific information regarding ongoing discussions,” said Blue Cross spokeswoman Cindy Sanders.

Dalton Mayor David Pennington said it is urgent that Hamilton and local doctors accept a greater number of health insurance plans.

“We’ve got to quit sending people who can be treated here out of town. It’s hurting our economy. It’s hurting our health care system,” he said.

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