Last week, Royal Oak, Mich.-based Beaumont Health System took out several full-page ads in newspapers asking patients to call Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan to accept reimbursement rates offered to the insurer, and now BCBS of Michigan defended its reimbursement talks with a newspaper ad of its own, according to a Detroit News report.
BCBS of Michigan's two-page ad said Beaumont's dispute is "driven by money," as it already makes a 15-percent profit on its relationship with the Blue Care Network, the HMO plan that Beaumont plans to stop accepting if a deal is not reached by Dec. 31, according to the report.
The BCBS of Michigan ad also said Beaumont wants to double the profit margin to 30 percent and notified patients they still have a "wide range of outstanding hospitals to choose from."
In response, Beaumont said it is paid 20 percent less on average than other hospitals in the Detroit area. According to the report, Beaumont spokeswoman Colette Stimmell said the hospital system is surprised BCBS of Michigan "would want to send patients to other hospitals where they would pay more for their care, rather than bringing Beaumont up to market rates and not inconvenience the patients."
Beaumont Health System Plans to Stop Accepting Insurance From BCBS HMO
BCBS of Michigan's two-page ad said Beaumont's dispute is "driven by money," as it already makes a 15-percent profit on its relationship with the Blue Care Network, the HMO plan that Beaumont plans to stop accepting if a deal is not reached by Dec. 31, according to the report.
The BCBS of Michigan ad also said Beaumont wants to double the profit margin to 30 percent and notified patients they still have a "wide range of outstanding hospitals to choose from."
In response, Beaumont said it is paid 20 percent less on average than other hospitals in the Detroit area. According to the report, Beaumont spokeswoman Colette Stimmell said the hospital system is surprised BCBS of Michigan "would want to send patients to other hospitals where they would pay more for their care, rather than bringing Beaumont up to market rates and not inconvenience the patients."
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Michigan's Beaumont Health Urges Patients to Call BCBS Regarding Payment DisparitiesBeaumont Health System Plans to Stop Accepting Insurance From BCBS HMO