Judge Blocks Mississippi Governor's Order for Blue Cross to Reinstate HMA Hospitals

U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate has blocked Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant's executive order meant to force Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi to reinstate 10 hospitals owned by Naples, Fla.-based Health Management Associates into its network, according to a report from The Clarion-Ledger.

Judge Wingate granted a request from BCBS for a 14-day temporary restraining order against Gov. Bryant, according to the report. The insurer and Health Management will call witnesses at a Nov. 5 hearing to help the court decide whether the governor's order was proper.

Judge Wingate said the insurer should have been granted a hearing before the executive order was issued, according to the report.

According to earlier reports, Gov. Bryant issued the temporary order to give the state time to determine whether the BCBS network would provide adequate patient access without the Health Management hospitals. Earlier this year, BCBS sent a termination notice to Health Management informing the company it intended to ax its contracts with 10 of the hospital operator's Mississippi facilities after they all sued the insurer, claiming the payer has been underpaying them by millions for certain inpatient procedures.

Last week, the insurer  announced it would reinstate four of the hospitals — Woman's Hospital in Flowood, Tri-Lakes Medical Center in Batesville, Gilmore Regional Medical Center in Amory and Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center in Clarksdale. The hospitals have been out of network since September, although Health Management has not been charging those patients out-of-network rates.

More Articles on Mississippi Hospitals:
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant Orders Blue Cross to Reinstate 10 HMA Hospitals
Blue Cross of Mississippi Reinstates 4 HMA Hospitals
Mississippi Mayors: HMA, Blue Cross Dispute Could Hurt Economy 

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