Thousands of Missouri construction workers with Anthem health insurance left scrambling

More than 15,000 unionized construction workers and their families relied on MU Health Care's contract with Anthem to receive medical care.

Now that the contract between Anthem and MU Health Care has ended, the workers that build and maintain Missouri and Kansas' critical infrastructure are left in limbo.

"Their refusal to negotiate in good faith has created uncertainty and disrupted critical treatment plans for countless families," Brandon Flinn, the business manager of the Missouri and Kansas Laborers District Council, said in a statement. "It's unacceptable, and we are committed to calling out this unethical behavior."

MKLDC's unionized workers represent more than 15% of the more than 100,000 individuals who relied on Anthem to access medical services through MU Health Care's seven hospitals and 80 clinics, and more than 1,200 providers.

"This is not the outcome we desire for our patients or their families. We know how important it is to be able to access convenient, local health care services our patients know and trust. We remain open to meaningful discussions with Anthem," Eric Maze, a MU Health Care spokesperson, said.

In February, Anthem decided to remove MU Health Care from its Medicare Advantage contract. Medicare Advantage, also known as Medicare Part C, is a private insurance option that bundles with traditional Medicare services to offer alternative coverage options.

Following Anthem's decision to end Medicare Advantage, MU Health Care continued negotiations to remain in Anthem's larger commercial insurance network.

In an open letter to Anthem, MU Health Care CEO Ric Ransom said Anthem ended negotiations and announced that it would terminate its contract with MU Health Care, effective April 1.

Anthem provided the following statement to KBIA:

"We deeply value all our members, including those who are unionized workers. The majority of Anthem members in Central Missouri receive their coverage through employer-sponsored plans—including public sector and labor union-affiliated groups. MU Health Care's proposed price hike over three years would significantly raise costs for these employers, many of whom directly fund their employees' healthcare. These increased expenses would ultimately fall on employees—leading to higher out-of-pocket costs, reduced take-home pay, or fewer negotiated benefits. We believe hardworking Missourians shouldn't have to sacrifice wages or healthcare security due to unaffordable and unsustainable demands from MU Health Care."

Anthem also claimed MU Health Care pulled out of talks early, directly contradicting MU Health Care's claims that Anthem was the one to step away from the negotiation table.

Members of the MKLDC are up for wage negotiations with MU Health Care, the University of Missouri-Columbia and the City of Columbia this spring.

Zack Dunn, the Government Affairs Director of Missouri and Kansas Laborers District Council, said Anthem's departure will "have a significant impact on those discussions."

"It's deeply disappointing that Anthem is playing chess with our members' health — and in some cases, their lives," said Scotty Johnson, Chief Steward for the City of Columbia, in a statement with LiUNA.

Employees of the City of Columbia also lost access to in-network treatment at MU Health Care.

In the time leading up to negotiations, Dunn said MKLDC is focused on "bridging the gap in the disruption of care" for the union's members.

"We have members who have wives or they themselves are pregnant and have regularly scheduled appointments with their doctors at MU Health Care," Dunn said.

Any union members who were receiving care through MU Health Care can apply for a 90-day waiver to maintain access to their scheduled treatments. Dunn encouraged members to contact their union's local chapter for assistance with their application.

An Anthem spokesperson specified that members previously receiving care at MU Heatlh Care for "serious and complex conditions – including cancer, pregnancy, terminal illness, and more ..." may still quality for in-network benefits at MU Health Care for a limited time or until their treatment is complete.

The spokesperson also said Anthem is assisting members in finding new in-network care in central Missouri. They listed Boone Health, SSM Health, Jefferson City Medical Group and Moberly Regional Hospital as alternatives.

In a press release, MU Health Care said it has established a dedicated call center to answer questions from patients and help navigate care options during this time. The call center is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 573-650-5409. More information can be found on MU Health Care's website.