JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Baptist Health, the largest health organization in Jacksonville with six locations across the city, says that Cigna Health Insurance has chosen to terminate its partnership.
Baptist Health’s website states that the agreement will expire after June 23.
“We made significant concessions, offered lower rates, and Cigna still has not chosen to reconsider their termination decision,” Baptist Health’s website state. “This type of non-engagement is almost unheard of and unfortunately leaves us in a position where we do not see a clear path to resolution.”
Alexa Roberts, a content creator in Mandarin, is a new mother of a two-and-a-half-month-old son. She took to TikTok last week to express her frustration to the news.
As of Wednesday, the video has received nearly 20,000 views and over 200 comments.
“It was honestly really hard to read some of the comments because I saw comments about parents that have children that are battling cancer and they’re getting care in Wolfsons,” Roberts said. “Parents are driving their children all the way to Tampa for care. I don’t think we should have to make that choice to have to travel to a different city, especially having children.”
Roberts says she went through a long, intensive process to make sure she chose the right pediatrician.
“Just getting to meet the doctors and feeling [like] ‘okay, I found the right place, I feel happy with this decision that I’ve made,’” Roberts said. “[Then] just knowing that there’s a chance that we’re going to have to go through that whole decision making process while also taking care of my young son, it’s just, it’s hard.”
When asked why Cigna chose to end the partnership, they provided the following statement:
“Baptist Health Jacksonville has proposed contract terms that would significantly increase health care costs for the local employers, employees, and families we serve. We want Baptist Health to remain in our network, but we cannot agree to terms that would make care less affordable for the Jacksonville community. We will continue to negotiate in good faith toward a balanced agreement that pays providers fairly, preserves access to high-quality care, and helps prevent further cost increases for the people and businesses who rely on us.”
They also noted that network negotiations are intended to balance “fair provider reimbursement with affordability for patients, employers, and families.”
They say that customer notification letters are expected to go out the week of May 23.
In response to the above statement, Baptist Health said the following:
“To be clear, we have NOT asked for an increase in rates. In fact, we have actually offered Cigna a rate reduction in the hope that Cigna would pass those savings on to its members and employers. Their decision makers refused to meet with us. This is almost unheard of and this type of non-engagement is highly unusual.
In addition, Cigna’s latest proposal included terms that allow Cigna, rather than our patients’ physicians, to determine what is medically necessary. We believe this is not in the best interests of our patients’ care or their relationships with their physicians. If we agree to such language and Cigna does not agree with a patient’s physician that a treatment or therapy is medically necessary and reflects current standards of care, the patient could be responsible for the cost of that treatment.
We remain available to Cigna at any time if they are willing to negotiate in good faith, but we would never take any steps or agree to anything that could compromise patient care.”
Baptist Health says that they strongly encourage patients to prepare now by learning whether they qualify for Continuity of Care and contacting Cigna to determine what providers will be in network after June 23.
They also say that for any questions, patients can email [questions@bmcjax.com]questions@bmcjax.com or call 904-202-3210. They say they’ll continue to keep patients and the community updated on BaptistJax.com/Cigna.
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