Healthcare Crisis: Legacy Health and Regence BlueCross BlueShield Fail to Reach Agreement, Leaving Patients in Limbo

Negotiations between Legacy Health and Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon are at a standstill, with patients potentially facing an increase in their healthcare costs if an agreement is not reached. The contract between the two parties expires on Sunday without a new deal in place, which means that providers may no longer be in-network for those insured by Regence.

Legacy Health has already warned 200,000 customers of the potential termination of the contract and advised them to contact their insurance company for information on what this could mean for them. The chief population health officer at Legacy, Merrin Permut, has emphasized the importance of being prepared for this eventuality and urged patients to plan accordingly.

Both sides in this situation seem to be taking a firm stance during negotiations. While Regence claims that they have offered Legacy a competitive contract that has not yet been accepted or rejected, Legacy points out that Regence has been profitable while healthcare providers like themselves have struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The outcome of these negotiations will determine the future costs and network access for Legacy patients insured with Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon. With a reported loss of $172 million in the last fiscal year, Legacy has emphasized the need for both parties to come to an agreement that is fair and equitable for all involved.