Anthem and Kentucky Health System Settle Insurance Dispute

Anthem and Louisville, Ky.-based Norton Healthcare have signed a new contract, settling a dispute that could have left around 250,000 to pay out-of-network fees for Norton hospitals and physicians, according to a report in the Courier-Journal.

On July 1, Norton, which provides nearly half of the healthcare in Louisville, severed relations with Anthem and Blue Cross, leaving many patients to pay the higher fees or seek healthcare through other providers, according to the report.

Although details of the new contract were not released, Norton had been seeking double-digit increases in reimbursements from Anthem and complained of slow payments and difficult claims resolution by the insurer. Anthem said that Norton's three-year contract, which began in Oct. 2007, included 5.5 percent increases and prices charged patients were based scheduled rates, according to the report.

Patients caught in the crossfire and Kentucky lawmakers are happy at the resolution between Norton and Anthem, and the health system noted in the report how difficult going out-of-network has been on its patients.

Read the Courier-Journal's report about the Norton-Anthem agreement.