Tag Archives: first choice health

Harrison reaches agreement with First Choice Health

An agreement has been reached that will keep Harrison Medical Center “in-network” for First Choice Health customers.

The hospital and insurance carrier announced a three-year contract extension on Sept. 28.

“We are extremely pleased that we have been able to come to an agreement with First Choice Health on a new contract,” Harrison President David Schultz said in a news release. “This contract allows our patients to have uninterrupted access to all the providers and services Harrison Medical Center has to offer and enhances the financial stability of both organizations.”

Negotiations had hit a sticking point late last summer, with the contract set to terminate Sept. 1. A temporary extension gave the two sides an additional month to negotiate.

About 1,300 Harrison patients are covered by First Choice.

First Choice/Harrison deadline extended

Tad Sooter

We can pass along some hopeful news for West Sound residents covered by First Choice Health plans.

The contract between the health insurance carrier and Harrison Medical Center has been extended to Sept. 30, according to Scott Thompson, spokesman for Harrison parent company CHI Franciscan Health.

The contract between First Choice and Harrison was set to terminate on Sept. 1 if a new deal couldn’t be reached this month.

Thompson said the temporary extension will allow the sides more time to negotiate.

“It’s a good sign, from our perspective, that we want to keep talking,” he said.

Thompson said records indicate more than 1,300 patients would be affected if the First Choice contract did terminate.

The contract applies only to Harrison’s hospital facilities. Harrison HealthPartners providers and clinics are covered under a separate contract with First Choice, and would remain in-network if the contract terminated. CHI Franciscan facilities would also remain in-network.

This post was updated with additional information from Thompson.

First Choice Health could drop Harrison hospital

Tad Sooter

Harrison Medical Center will fall out of network with insurer First Choice Health if the two sides can’t agree on a new contract by Sept. 1.

Bob Hinman, First Choice vice president for network management, said contract negotiations with Harrison have reached an impasse.

First Choice believes reimbursement rates Harrison receives under the current contract are unfairly high, Hinman said. He was hopeful talks would continue.

“I think that’s everyone’s hope we could come to agreement on appropriate terms,” he said.

Hinman said First Choice has roughly 3,000 customers in Harrison’s market, and has included the hospital in its network since the 1990s.

The insurer sent a notice to clients warning them the contract with Harrison may terminate in September. If Harrison is dropped from the provider network, First Choice customers will have to pay much higher out-of-pocket costs to access services at the hospital.

The contract in jeopardy only covers Harrison Medical Center. Harrison HealthPartners physicians have a separate contract with First Choice, Hinman said.

Representatives of CHI Franciscan Health, Harrison’s parent company, remained confident an agreement would be reached.

“We are in active contract discussions with First Choice Health and anticipate to have a resolution before the September 1 deadline,” CHI Franciscan spokesman Shawn Jennison said in a statement.

Harrison has had rocky relations with insurance carriers over the past few years. A contract between the hospital and UnitedHealthcare terminated in December 2013. Harrison rejoined United’s network in April 2015.

Harrison and Regence BlueShield failed to renew a contract in August 2014, prompting widespread outcry among Kitsap customers. Regence and Harrison signed a new agreement in February 2015.

First Choice Health is a Seattle-based health care company owned by physicians and hospitals.

If you have insurance through First Choice I would love to hear from you. Drop me an email at tad.sooter@kitsapsun.com or leave a comment below.

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