Patients insured through Regence BlueCross BlueShield will continue paying in-network cost for care from University of Utah Health providers, after the two businesses reached a deal just days before their previous contract would have expired.
The businesses announced the deal Monday with a joint statement posted to the websites of both organizations. The new deal will be effective for multiple years, although the exact number was not specified, and patients will see no disruptions in care. The businesses had until June 30 to forge a new deal.
“As businesses serving the local community, Regence and University of Utah Health are responsible for ensuring reimbursement rates that fairly compensate providers for their services, while balancing the need to help control health care costs to continue providing people with access to high quality, affordable health care,” according to the statement. “We are pleased to have reached an agreement that strikes that balance.”
Negotiations between the two institutions stalled because of a disagreement over who should pay for increased health care costs. Tens of thousands of patients would have been impacted if a deal wasn’t reached, and U. Health had created a webpage for patients with questions about the impasse. That page now hosts the news release announcing the new contract.
“We appreciate the patience of those affected as we worked together to reach agreement that provides Regence members with continued access to high-quality, affordable health care through University of Utah Health,” the statement read.
