BCBS change prompts Morgan County insurance switch [Jacksonville Journal-Courier, Ill.]

Dec. 23—Morgan County board members have decided the county will not renew its health insurance contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield after the company removed Springfield Clinic as an in-network provider.

Although Blue Cross Blue Shield announced in June that Springfield Clinic soon would not be in-network, the county and the insurer kept trying to figure out a solution. As of Nov. 17, remaining primary, specialty and urgent care services provided by the clinic were dropped from the insurer's network.

"We were thinking it would get resolved," Morgan County Board Commissioner Ginny Fanning said. "I think everyone was disappointed."

Springfield Clinic patients either would have to pay more for medical appointments or change to an in-network doctor, which county employees didn't want.

Taking the advice of the county's insurance committee — which is made up of one person from each department — the board decided to offer health insurance to county employees through Health Alliance.

"The plan is the most comparable they have," Fanning said.

The new policy will take effect Jan. 1 and employees have the option to select a preferred provider organization — a PPO — or a health savings account — a tax-advantaged medical savings account.

The county looks at plans and policies each year as the renewal period opens and returning to Blue Cross Blue Shield in the future is a possibility — if it were to make Springfield Clinic in-network again, Fanning said.

But, for Fanning, it comes down to getting the best coverage for the best price.

"It's the patients that feel the brunt of it," she said.

The county pays for health insurance for its employees. Should an employee want to add a spouse or children, the employee would be responsible for the extra cost. Although the county will be switching its health insurance provider, dental and vision insurance will continue through MetLife.

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