Avera Health's employee insurance plan will no longer cover services provided by three physician-owned orthopedic practices in Sioux Falls, S.D., the Argus Leader reports.
Three details:
1. Services provided by the Orthopedic Institute, Core Orthopedics and Sioux Falls Specialty Hospital won't be covered beginning Nov. 1. Avera employees were notified.
2. Sioux Falls-based Avera began employing its own orthopedic surgeons after Core Orthopedics sold its ASC to Sioux Falls Specialty Hospital, which is partially owned by Medical Facilities Corp. Physicians from Core Orthopedics provided orthopedic care for Avera on a contract basis until they joined the Orthopedic Institute.
3. Now that Avera Orthopedics comprises more than 40 providers, the system hopes to prevent leakage of financially valuable orthopedic surgeries.