August 30, 2024 – Florida Blue: Relevant News Updates
- On Thursday, August 29, Florida Blue announced the expansion of the popular Florida Blue | Sanitas Medical Centers in Northeast Florida, with two new locations planned to open in January 2025. The two new centers will be located in Duclay and Windy Hill, and will serve members of all ages. You can find more on this exciting announcement here.
- This week, Florida Blue expanded its partnership with Mayo Clinic Jacksonville to provide additional access to Florida Blue’s HMO BlueCare members. Mayo Clinic in Florida offers care for 35 medical and surgical specialties and is recognized as one of the nation’s leading liver transplant programs. It is also acclaimed for its leading practice and research in the neurosciences, transplant medicine, and cancer treatment.
Situation Overview
- As to the negotiations, Baptist Health has made clear it will exit Florida Blue’s network if its excessive contract demands are not met by October 1. While negotiations continue, Baptist Health has not been willing to reassess its exorbitant demands.
- Baptist Health is demanding rate increases which would add a total of over $900 million to the cost of its medical services over the next 5 years, which would substantially raise costs for health care in Northeast Florida. Florida Blue has offered very competitive terms valued at twice the rate of inflation, which Baptist Health leaders have resoundingly rejected.
- Florida Blue and Baptist Health have successfully reached fair and reasonable agreements many times over the years. This latest set of negotiations is the first under current Baptist Health CEO Michael Mayo.
- While refusing to budge from their outrageous demands, Baptist Health’s administrators continue a campaign of misleading information and appears to believe that scaring patients is an acceptable way to try to force Florida Blue to agree to their unreasonable demands. Florida Blue believes negotiating in good faith is when patients are put first and when the negotiating parties stick to the facts.
- If we cannot reach an agreement with Baptist Health and they go out-of-network on October 1, 2024 – Florida Blue intends to continue to pay for claims for services performed at Wolfson Children’s Hospital, and it is our expectation that no Florida Blue member would be turned away by Baptist Health. In addition, there are rules and processes in place to address what’s called Continuity of Care for those who are in active treatment – which allows some members affected by these possible network changes to continue to receive services with the same benefits and cost sharing even if Baptist Health chooses to exit our network.
- Florida Blue remains committed to reaching a fair and competitive agreement to keep Baptist Health from exiting our network in a new agreement that includes ACA, Medicare and group plan members.
Media Statement
“Florida Blue continues to seek a fair and reasonable agreement with Baptist Health that preserves access to affordable health care without raising costs for our members. Baptist’s latest demands total more than $900 million in new costs over the next 5 years at a time when many in our community are already struggling to make ends meet. Should Baptist choose to exit our network, we remain committed to ensuring that everyone who calls Jacksonville home can access affordable care through our strong partnerships with exceptional providers across Northeast Florida, including the Florida Blue | Sanitas Medical Centers.”
Members with questions are encouraged to:
- Visit our negotiations landing page with updates and key information: https://www.floridablue.com/negotiation/baptisthealthjax
- Visit us in-person at one of four Florida Blue Centers in Jacksonville.
- Call the number on the back of their membership card for more information specific to their plan.
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