WICKENBURG COMMUNITY HOSPITAL & CLINICS / BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD (BCBS) CONTRACT WILL END ITS CONTRACT.
WICKENBURG, AZ (May 31st, 2024) – Wickenburg Community Hospital & Clinics (WCH) has given Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) a ninety-day notice, BCBS has ninety days to present an agreeable contract to WCH or they will not renew their contract.
The staff and clinicians at WCH have one primary focus: the health and well-being of the community they serve. The organization strives to remain in-network with as many health insurance plans as possible to support its community members. Regrettably, despite exhaustive efforts to negotiate fair and sustainable payment terms, WCH will not be renewing its contract with BCBS, effective September 1st, 2024.
Unfortunately, BCBS is not appropriately acknowledging the organization’s rural health status and is paying WCH well below cost, especially in its commercial plans. This Critical Access Hospital (CAH) system cannot continue to subsidize healthcare services for BCBS members.
WCH must be compensated fairly to sustain a dedicated team of clinicians and staff, ensuring high-quality healthcare services. Negotiations with BCBS will continue through this period and beyond to hopefully reach a new contract agreement. WCH remains committed to transparency and will keep the community informed of any updates throughout this transition.
For more information, please call Rhea Kagan, Revenue Cycle Director, at 928-668-5505.
About Wickenburg Community Hospital and Clinics
Wickenburg Community Hospital (WCH) is a nonprofit organization established in 1926. WCH opened its first Rural Health Clinic (RHC) in 2010 followed by two additional RHCs by 2018. WCH serves a vast rural area spanning 3,300 square miles in Arizona, providing essential healthcare services to patients from remote communities located 50 to 80 miles away. This Critical Access Hospital (CAH) system is the sole healthcare provider for these areas, designated as health professional shortage areas by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration.
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