BJC patients who have Aetna health insurance can breathe a sigh of relief after the health system and insurer reached agreement on a one-year contract.
BJC representatives said Aetna patients will not experience any lapses in coverage.
"We appreciate our patients' understanding these past several months as we worked on the new agreement with Aetna to ensure our patients receive continuous in-network access to world-class care with our providers and services," said J.C. McWilliams, BJC chief managed care officer and vice president, in a statement.
Insurance companies and hospitals regularly hammer out coverage arrangements, agreeing to what services hospitals will provide to in-network patients and how much insurance companies will pay for them.
Aetna and BJC's agreement is one of several recent decisions in the St. Louis area that pushed against contract deadlines. Mercy and Anthem announced a similar agreement last year with only weeks left in the contract.
Meanwhile, UnitedHealthcare and SSM Health have yet to reach a contract for next year, which could leave tens of thousands of patients without in-network coverage.
The agreement applies to BJC locations and Kansas City-based St. Luke's entities. The two systems completed a cross-state merger in 2024. St. Luke's in Kansas City is not affiliated with St. Luke's Hospital in Chesterfield.
Aetna customers with employer-sponsored insurance or Medicare advantage plans will be able to pay in-network prices for care at BJC hospitals and clinics and at St. Luke's locations in western Missouri.
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