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| State Dropping Health Alliance and Humana |
(IRN)-The state's longtime provider of health coverage may be getting the boot, but it's not taking the decision easily.
The state has chosen to eliminate Health Alliance and Humana as providers of health coverage to state workers, a decision that would affect tens of thousands of patients.
The Department of Healthcare and Family Services has opted instead to go with Blue Cross—Blue Shield of Illinois HMO, a decision Urbana-based Health Alliance is formally protesting. It's unclear how long the protest process will take.
Health Alliance boss Jeff Ingrum says few Downstate providers contract with Blue Cross because they can't afford to provide services for the Blue Cross Downstate reimbursement rate. He says it's unreasonable for the state to assume it can save more than $100 million a year, because Blue Cross's Downstate rates vary greatly from its Chicago-area rates, which is where the vast majority of its customers reside.
"You get to $101 million in savings if you can move all of them over to Blue Cross—Blue Shield's Chicago-based rates," says Ingrum. "That is a fallacy, and it would be unrealistic to assume it could ever happen."
State workers are concerned they'll have to switch doctors if this plan takes effect, because Blue Cross's services are scattered Downstate. Blue Cross says it's working to address that.
Lawmakers cannot take action on the plan, or even publicly discuss it in great detail, until the protest is resolved.
(Source: Illinois Radio Network) |
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| 04 11 11 by Newsroom |
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