A contract between Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska and CHI Health has expired, with no new agreement reached.
The contract between Blue Cross Blue Shield and UniNet, a collaboration of CHI Health physicians and hospitals, expired Sunday. That means all CHI Health providers and medical facilities are now out-of-network for Blue Cross Blue Shield policy holders, with a few exceptions.
The two sides negotiated for months, meeting multiple times a week in late August to try and reach an agreement.
In a statement, Blue Cross Blue Shield senior vice president Lee Handke says CHI Health was unwilling to address costs. Blue Cross said CHI charges 10 to 30 percent more than other providers.
CHI Health CEO Dr. Cliff Robertson says the network offered its fourth proposal on August 22nd, and it was rejected without a counter-offer. Blue Cross said the contract dispute was over costs; UniNet said it was about payment for the value of services provided.