Columbia, Mo.-based MU Health Care will be out-of-network with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, effective April 1.
The split affects Anthem Medicare Advantage, commercial and ACA plan members, according to a statement from MU Health Care.
In an open letter to Stephanie Vojicic, president of Anthem BCBS of Missouri, MU Health Care CEO Ric Ransom said Anthem’s offer was “inadequate.”
“Our responsibility to the people of Missouri requires us to run an academic health system that is financially sustainable and able to serve as the safety net for a significant part of the state long into the future,” Mr. Ransom wrote. “MU Health Care wants this impasse to be resolved, but will not risk our financial well-being based on Anthem’s inadequate offer.”
In a statement to ABC affiliate KMIZ, Anthem BCBS said its proposal included “reasonable payment increases.”
“MU Health Care’s proposed price increases would increase healthcare costs many times faster than wage growth for Missouri consumers,” a spokesperson said. “We cannot agree to price hikes of this magnitude for our members. Standing up for affordable care for all Missourians is part of our mission.”
MU Health Care recently renegotiated a contract with UnitedHealthcare.
The network split does not affect Medicaid members or University of Missouri student health plans, MU Health Care said. Patients with certain chronic conditions may qualify for continuity of care coverage from Anthem.
MU Health Care, the University of Missouri’s academic health system, manages more than seven hospitals, 80 clinics and 1,200 providers.
