Four rural Oklahoma hospitals sued Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma for allegedly breaching contract amid an ongoing rate dispute, The Oklahoman reports.
The lawsuit argues the hospitals met with BCBS Oct. 3 to negotiate a deal. However, the plaintiffs claim calls and messages to the payer after the meeting went unanswered.
A judge in Tulsa, Okla., intervened in the lawsuit, halting a contract termination between the hospitals and BCBS Sunday. One of the hospitals, Stigler, Okla.-based Haskell County Community Hospital, said BCBS seeks a 30 percent rate cut for all services except emergency care.
Randy Simmons, CEO of Prague (Okla.) Community Hospital, another one of the rural hospitals involved in the lawsuit, said BCBS' rate request is "not a rate that would allow us to continue to serve Blue Cross patients. It borders on being below the cost of actually providing that care."
BCBS declined The Oklahoman's request for comment. A hearing for the lawsuit is slated for Friday.
More articles on payer issues:
CMS proposes ACA benefit changes for 2019: 7 things to know
What's looming behind the proposed CVS Health-Aetna deal
Health Partners Plans names Geralynn Boone VP of Medicare clinical operations: 5 takeaways