Dignity Health and Aetna ended a standoff on April 25 over an expired contract for in-network coverage.
In a jointly released announcement, the medical group and insurance company said they have now negotiated a multi-year agreement so that patients no longer need to fear losing in-patient coverage.
Out-of-network prices are often far higher than in-patient network costs.
After failing to settle a contract dispute by midnight April 5, an extension from the expiration date of April 1, the two entities announced Thursday afternoon they reached a new agreement; the announcement did not specify the duration of the agreement beyond that it’s a “multi-year” contract.
According to the announcement, the new contract allows existing Aetna and CVS Health company to maintain their in-network access to Dignity Health services, facilities, and providers in Arizona, California, and Nevada.
The contract is back-dated to April 1. Any health care services Aetna members have received since April 1 will be covered at the members’ in-network benefit levels, officials stated in the announcement.
“This is a win for our patients who deserve access to local high-quality care,” said Robert Quinn, MD, president of Dignity Health Medical Foundation. “Our goal in working with Aetna has always been about ensuring we can meet the needs of our patients today and in the future. This agreement ensures we can continue to provide value-driven care for Aetna members.”
“We are committed to serving Aetna members with access to quality, convenient, affordable care through our network of providers,” said Cathy Hughes, Aetna vice president and chief network officer for the Western and South-Central region. “We are pleased to reach an agreement with Dignity Health that enables us to continue working together to meet the health care needs of our members.”
Aetna members can call the number on their Aetna member card for more information.