In light of a contract impasse between Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare and Anthem, Connecticut's lead Democrat may reintroduce a bill aimed at governing payer-provider negotiations, the Hartford Courant reports.
The legislation, first introduced by Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven, in 2015, would establish a binding arbitration process to amend contract disputes hospitals and payers fail to resolve independently.
The president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Connecticut recently emailed the CEO of Hartford HealthCare requesting a new contract. The request followed a story published by Hartford Courant detailing how chronically ill Anthem members are postponing surgeries and rationing medication and physician visits due to the companies' break. However, no resolution has surfaced.
Hartford HealthCare left Anthem's provider network after the organizations failed to negotiate a new contract by a Sept. 30 deadline.
Sen. Looney's 2015 bill met opposition from the Connecticut Hospital Association and the Connecticut Association of Health Plans, according to the report.
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