Major health insurance carrier may quit Valley Health; health care costs may rise for many in 2021

Valley Health issued a warning this month that, once again, insurer Anthem is proving difficult to deal with in contract negotiations that could lead to a discontinuance of relationships with the insurance giant that covers up to 70 percent of its Valley Health patients.

In a letter to policy holders, Valley Health’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, Mark Nantz, said, “We want you to prepare for the possibility that Valley Health will no longer be ‘in-network’ with Anthem beginning January 1, 2021.”

According to local physicians, Anthem is the biggest insurer in the area and, one said, is “trying to drive down reimbursements and not for the first time.”

Warren Memorial Hospital and the rest of the Valley Health network have been warned of the potential loss of insurance coverage by the Anthem network as negotiations flounder around system costs. Royal Examiner Photo by Roger Bianchini

Of the situation Nantz added, “Unfortunately, Anthem has been unwilling to work with Valley Health caregivers… Valley Health will continue working in good faith to reach a solution before the end of the year. If Anthem is unwilling to work with our team and considers Valley Health “out of network”, your health care costs will likely increase.”

He said further that Valley Health, after several months of negotiations, has offered Anthem a solution to the situation (that) would “protect (patients) access to care while also making sure our team can continue confronting the COVID-19 pandemic and other health challenges.”

Many who receive anthem coverage in the Valley are retired federal employees. Valley Health, on its website, urges them to consider transferring to another carrier during the government’s open season November 9 – December 7. For these, and other details visit ValleyHealthLink.com/Anthem.