CHI Memorial, Bluecross come to agreement

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Staring down a divorce at the end of the month, CHI Memorial patients who have Bluecross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST) will be able to keep their same care.

CHI Memorial has announced they have reached a new agreement with BCBST that will allow BCBST-insured patients with Network P, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid to maintain in-network access to CHI Memorial physicians, nurses, services, and hospitals, including The Chattanooga Heart Institute, outpatient services, and CHI Memorial Medical Group.

In addition, CHI Memorial Health at Home will resume in-network status for these plans effective July 1.

In a statement, a CHI Memorial spokesperson said, “This is a win for our patients, who deserve access to local, high-quality care, and we appreciate their patience as we have worked through this agreement.  Our goal in working with BCBST has always been to reach an agreement that puts patients first and protects their access to the providers and services they know and trust. We are glad to have achieved that goal on behalf of our patients. We deeply appreciate the trust patients have placed in our team and look forward to continuing to serve them.”

“Our members and business customers rely on us to balance affordability with access to high-quality care,” said Marc Barclay, SVP, provider network management for BlueCross. “We’re pleased to reach an agreement that supports those needs for members and businesses in our Network P as well as individuals covered by our Medicare Advantage, BlueCare Tennessee, and BlueCare Plus plans.”

The initial three-year contract will automatically renew unless either party terminates it. “We hope this will help avoid similar situations for our members in the future,” Barclay added.

Network S patients will still lose access effective July 1, 2024. CHI Memorial says they will work with each Network S patient to find a solution for them to remain with CHI Memorial and its physicians.