Governor intervenes in stalled Piedmont-Blue Cross contract talks

March 22--Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has intervened in stalled contract negotiations between Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia and Piedmont Healthcare, University of Georgia President Jere Morehead told UGA's University Council on Wednesday.

The insurance company and the healthcare business have not agreed to contract terms as an April 1 deadline approaches, and the insurance company has warned that Piedmont clients could be paying more for their care if Piedmont and Blue Cross Blue Shield can't agree on terms in a new "in-network care provider" contract.

Morehead said he was "very pleased" to learn Deal has weighed in. The governor wrote to the CEOs of both companies warning "we will take whatever steps necessary" to ensure coverage isn't disrupted for hundreds of thousands of state employees and retirees, Morehead said, reading from Deal's letter

Employees of the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government and the Clarke County School District would also be affected as well as UGA workers.

The state and the Athens-Clarke government are self-insured, but pay Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia to manage their programs.

Piedmont Healthcare operates Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center and several other Georgia hospitals.

Piedmont last month sued Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia and its parent company, Anthem, over changed Blue Cross reimbursement practices -- denying coverage for emergency room visits deemed unnecessary and imaging performed at lower-cost freestanding imaging businesses instead of facilities within hospitals, according to the lawsuit.

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