Medicare Advantage Policy lost due to contract dispute between Regence BlueShield and Optum Health Care.
ARLINGTON, Wash. — Joe Ford, 74, does a weekly line dance at the Stilley Senior Center in Arlington to stay in shape, but worries about his current health insurance situation.
“It felt like the rug had been pulled out from under us,” she said.
Ford has been a client of The Everett Clinic for nearly 50 years.
Last month she received a letter from her insurance company. Regence Blue Shieldsaid the clinic had decided to leave the Regence Provider Network due to a dispute over rising costs and payments.
A Regence spokesperson told KING 5 that the company “works with (its) Medicare Advantage members to ensure they get the care they need.”
However, the company has confirmed that some Regence Medicare Advantage customers are moving away from the clinic because their insurance is no longer accepted.
“I thought we had good press,” Ford said.
Ford has been attending the Everett Clinic for nearly 50 years.
The 74-year-old must find new insurance and possibly a new doctor, while delaying care for her husband and herself until June or July.
“I’m upset that you have to make these changes,” she said. It’s a different thing.”
Optum Health Care owns both the Everett Clinic and the Polyclinic in Seattle.
A clinic spokesperson said 4,000 clients have been affected by the conflict, saying, “Our priority and focus is to provide compassionate, affordable and quality care to our patients and communities.” We will continue to provide,” he added.
Everett Clinic has emailed a list of Medicare Advantage providers partnering with Optum Health Care in 2023.
- Humana Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO & D-SNP,
- Kaiser Permanent Medicare Advantage HMO
- Premera Blue Cross Medicare Advantage HMO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, D-SNP, and I-SNP
For now, Ford is focused on staying fit and trying to keep pace with the complex dynamics of the healthcare industry.
“I’m scared. I wake up in the middle of the night,” she said. “At this stage in our lives, why should we hunt around for different providers when we have other things to worry about?”
Optum and Regence are still in contract negotiations, but no deal is in sight at this time.
