Boone Health prepares for possible influx of patients as MU Health Care-Anthem negotiation deadline looms

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Thousands of MU Health Care patients insured through Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield could soon be forced to find new doctors as contract negotiations remain unresolved.

Anthem's contract with MU Health Care is set to expire on March 31. If a deal is not reached, MU Health Care will be considered out-of-network for Anthem customers on April 1.

Boone Health in Columbia said patients have already started calling to ask about transferring care and what the process would entail. Boone Health spokesman Christian Basi said it was already in the process of expanding its services, so a potential influx of patients is coming at the right time.

Basi said the expansion was driven by high demand for primary care across Missouri— not just from Anthem's ongoing negotiations with MU.

"Everything that's going on, the demand, the negotiations, all of that, we have been taking proactive steps to handle capacity at Boone Health," Basi said. "Over the last few months, Boone Health has been hiring more primary care doctors and we have been able to expand our primary care clinic over at our Nifong campus." 

Basi said enough primary care doctors will be added during the next several months so each doctor can take 1,500-1,8000 patients. Boone Health has also extended its convenient care hours at its location on Business Loop 70, now operating seven days a week from 7 a.m.-6 p.m.

Boone Health does accept Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance, whether it’s through an employer or purchased on the health insurance marketplace. However, Basi said coverage details may vary.

"Each product might be a little different, have a few small minor things that are different it might affect how things are reimbursed and the co-pays that are affiliated with that," Basi said.

Elisha Legan's husband has been in remission from cancer for three years and relied on MU Health Care for check-ups every six months. She said she’s concerned about what losing access to MU doctors could mean.

"[We've] kind of have been waiting to see how it plays out, we really want to go to Springfield and in Lebanon there is not a lot of doctors here so it is very very limited," Legan said.

The impact is even more significant for those have ongoing treatments.

"It really affects everybody daily lives, especially those who have cancer or life-threatening illnesses. We can't stop what we're doing in the middle of our treatment and just find somebody else," Legan said.

Basi said if you are considering switching providers, it is best to act on it now rather than later. MU Health Care previously suggested for patients to apply for continuity of care.

MU Health Care is encouraging those insured under Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield to contact Anthem using the phone number on the back of your insurance card, to find out the next steps for coverage.

Anthem said it is taking steps to help members transition to alternative providers. Employer-sponsored health plan members receiving treatment for serious or complex conditions will have in-network benefits extended for a limited time after April 1, or until their treatment is completed. Medicare Advantage members authorized for treatment at MU Health Care will also have in-network benefits extended until their care can be safely transferred. Anthem advised affected members to contact its service center for assistance. Medicare Supplement plan members will not be impacted by the negotiations.

About 2 million Missourians are insured through Anthem, according to the company's website. Roughly 100,000 patients are insured through Anthem at MU Health Care.