HMC sends out mailing to BCBS subscribers asking for support
By Brian Bethel, Abilene Reporter-News, Texas | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
"It wasn't a mass mailing to the general public," he said.
The entities have until
Each envelope sent out by
The card came from suggestions by local businesses, Lancaster said.
"So we thought the idea of giving a card to people would at least give them a voice, depending on what their response was," Lancaster said. "They could respond back in whatever way they chose to do."
Feedback, Lancaster said, has shown "appreciation for the option and the ease with which we allow them to do it."
Dr.
"I wish the
McCoy said he worried that putting members "in the middle of these negotiations may cause some anxiety for them," referring again to the reply cards.
"I think we can go on the record we're committed to not doing that," he said.
In addition to the reply card, each envelope contains a letter from Lancaster outlining the situation, and a series of answers to frequently asked questions -- including what to do if the ongoing disagreement can't be resolved.
"We're trying to give people information," he said. "As something like this happens, everybody gets worried, and sometimes the rumors that are out there depart from what, really, the facts are."
The ultimate purpose behind the mailing, he said, is to "get information out to people to not only answer some of their questions they might have but also give them some other sources to go to in case they have additional questions."
Lancaster and McCoy said both sides were still hopeful there would be a resolution to the situation, though neither was certain when that might come.
Negotiations between the hospital and
"I think it's fair to say that I can't predict what's going to happen in this particular negotiation," he said. "I can predict that the 40 percent increase is unreasonable. ... We're still speaking on behalf of our members that are there in
If not resolved by a
Emergency patients can seek care at either of
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