Anthem contract termination rescinded; patients will continue to receive in-network care

INDIANAPOLIS – The Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Inc. today (Nov. 7) announced it would rescind plans to terminate its contract with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana, thereby ensuring patients will continue to receive in-network benefits.

St. Francis and Anthem officials say they have made progress in negotiating a new multi-year contract and will continue their discussions until an agreement is reached.

An agreement would cover the following SSFHS medical facilities and physicians:

• St. Francis Hospital & Health Center (Indianapolis)
• St. Francis Hospital & Health Center (Beech Grove)
• St. Francis Hospital & Health Center (Mooresville)
• St. Elizabeth Regional Health (Lafayette)
• Home Hospital (Lafayette)
• St. Anthony Medical Center (Crown Point)
• St. Anthony Memorial Health Center (Michigan City)
• St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Center (Hammond)
• St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Center (Dyer)
• St. Clare Medical Center (Crawfordsville)
• Franciscan Physicians Hospital (Munster)
• More than 300 physicians in the different SSFHS service areas

The affected plans are Anthem Blue Access PPO, Anthem Blue Preferred HMO, Anthem Traditional, Anthem Medicare Advantage PPO, and Anthem Healthy Indiana Plan.

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About Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Inc.
Headquartered in Mishawaka, Ind., the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services is a network of 13 growing hospital campuses in Indiana and Illinois is one of the largest health-care systems in the state. The system’s health-care ministry in Indiana was established in 1875. More information about SSFHS is at www.ssfhs.org.

About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc., an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ® ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana is available at www.anthem.com.

Media Contacts:
Joe Stuteville-St. Francis
317-782-7986 (office)
Joe.Stuteville@ssfhs.org

Tony Felts-Anthem
317-287-6036 (office)
tony.felts@anthem.com

St. Francis health system launches Web site to assist Anthem patients

INDIANAPOLIS – The Sisters of St. Francis Health Services, Inc. (SSFHS) has established an informational Web site – http://stfrancis-anthem.blogspot.com – to keep Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Indiana patients informed of their health care options.

This new site provides updates and background information related to the recently announced contract termination with Anthem effective Nov. 2, 2008. A toll-free hotline also will be available on the site.

Patients are the paramount concern of the St. Francis health care system, which operates 13 hospitals in Indiana and Illinois.

SSFHS previously announced the contract termination in response to Anthem’s lack of timely claims reimbursement, a situation that has persisted since the fourth quarter of 2007.

St. Francis health system opts out of Anthem network Nov. 2

INDIANAPOLIS – The Sisters of St. Francis Health Services, Inc. (SSFHS) announced today (Oct. 13) that its contract with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Indiana is set to end Nov. 2, 2008.

Reasons for the termination include Anthem’s lack of accurate and timely claims payment and the inability to secure contract terms comparable to other hospitals in the area, SSFHS officials said.

The termination will cover the following SSFHS hospitals and physicians:

St. Francis Hospital & Health Center (Indianapolis)

St. Francis Hospital & Health Center (Beech Grove)

St. Francis Hospital & Health Center (Mooresville)

St. Elizabeth Regional Health (Lafayette)

Home Hospital (Lafayette)

St. Anthony Medical Center (Crown Point)

St. Anthony Memorial Health Center (Michigan City)

St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Center (Hammond)

St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Center (Dyer)

St. Clare Medical Center (Crawfordsville)

Franciscan Physicians Hospital (Munster)

More than 300 physicians in the different SSFHS service areas

“SSFHS is a good partner that works closely with payers to resolve claims problems when they occur,” said Greg Yust, SSFHS vice president of managed care contracting. “We recently forged successful long-term agreements with Aetna, Humana, Saga more and CIGNA. The Anthem claims issues have been ongoing for more than a year with no progress whatsoever.”

St. Francis hopes to work out a new agreement with Anthem. In the event SSFHS is unable to reach an agreement, it will work continue to work with Anthem, patients and employers to limit the impact the contract dispute might cause.

St. Francis, Humana reach contract for in-network health benefits

INDIANAPOLIS – Humana and St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers have reached a new contract that will provide in-network health-care benefits for 164,000 Humana of Indiana members at Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Inc. facilities beginning October 2008.

St Francis had been out of Humana’s network since June 2007. The new contract affects all Humana groups; individual and Medicare plan members.

“This agreement enables us to provide the same top-quality care to Humana members that we do to all those we currently serve at our hospitals and practice groups,” said Kevin Leahy, SSFHS president and chief executive officer.

“The addition of St. Francis to our hospital network brings to our members one of the country’s premier health systems,” said Humana of Indiana President Veronica Martin. “This agreement reinforces Humana’s commitment to health-care provider choice for our members and the collaborative approach both organizations embraced as we worked toward an agreement should be a model for provider/payer relationships.”

The following facilities will join the Humana network:

St. Francis Hospital & Health Center (Indianapolis)
St. Francis Hospital & Health Center (Beech Grove)
St. Francis Hospital & Health Center (Mooresville)
St. Elizabeth Regional Health (Lafayette)
Home Hospital (Lafayette)
St. Clare Medical Center (Crawfordsville)

Humana members with questions should contact Humana’s Customer Service Center at the toll free number on their member ID cards. A full listing of Humana network participating hospitals is also available at www.humana.com.

St. Francis, CIGNA renew contract; continue serving members

INDIANAPOLIS – CIGNA HealthCare and St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers have reached a new contract maintaining in-network health-care benefits for CIGNA and Sagamore Health Network members at St. Francis facilities through 2011.

The contract affects all employer groups and payers using CIGNA and Sagamore networks and products through St. Francis’ hospitals in Indianapolis, Beech Grove and Mooresville, as well as an additional 10 hospitals owned and operated by the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Inc.

“This agreement enables us to provide top-quality care to CIGNA and Sagamore members and the other people we serve at our hospitals and practice groups,” said Robert J. Brody, president and CEO of St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers.

“We are pleased to continue to effectively collaborate with St. Francis and provide individuals with access to high quality health care throughout communities in Indiana and Illinois,” said Sue Podbielski, president, CIGNA HealthCare Midwest Market. “The new agreement reinforces our commitment to offer our members a comprehensive, quality health services network as a way to improve health, well-being and security.”

The following facilities will remain in the CIGNA HealthCare/Sagamore Health network:
St. Francis Hospital & Health Center (Indianapolis, IN)
St. Francis Hospital & Health Center (Beech Grove, IN)
St. Francis Hospital & Health Center (Mooresville, IN)
St. Elizabeth Regional Health (Lafayette, IN)
Home Hospital (Lafayette, IN)
St. Anthony Medical Center (Crown Point, IN)
St. Anthony Memorial Health Center (Michigan City, IN)
St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Center (Hammond, IN)
St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Center (Dyer, IN)
St. Clare Medical Center (Crawfordsville, IN)
St. James Hospital & Health Center (Chicago Heights, IL)
St. James Hospital & Health Center (Olympia Fields, IL)

In addition, the new contract includes Franciscan Physicians Hospital in Munster, Ind., which is in the process of being added to the CIGNA and Sagamore networks. Members with questions should call the 800 number on the back of identification cards. A full listing of CIGNA network participating hospitals is available at www.cigna.com.

St. Francis Hospital, CIGNA HealthCare contract negotiations at impasse

INDIANAPOLIS – St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers and insurance company CIGNA HealthCare, who owns both CIGNA and Sagamore Health Network employer health-benefit products, have reached an impasse in contract re-negotiations.

CIGNA has issued a termination notice to St. Francis and the other 12 hospitals owned and operated by the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services, Inc. (SSFHS) system for all CIGNA and Sagamore networks and products, effective June 15, 2008.

“The contracts between CIGNA/Sagamore and the Sisters of St. Francis have been in place for many years dating back as far as 1995,” said Greg Yust, vice president of managed care contracting for SSFHS. “The decision by CIGNA/Sagamore to terminate the agreement with St. Francis and the Sisters of St. Francis organization was entirely unexpected. This will cause significant disruption for employer groups and payers who anticipated having access to SSFHS facilities for their 2008 health plan benefit year.”

CIGNA notified SSFHS that all its medical facilities and affiliates in Indiana and Illinois would be terminated from participation in Sagamore Health Network and CIGNA networks and products effective June 15, 2008. The timing of the action could create significant disruption for employer groups because most group health benefit plans run on a calendar-year basis, according to Yust.

St. Francis and SSFHS are willing to honor the existing agreements with CIGNA/Sagamore through Dec. 31, 2008, or the employers’ next benefit renewal cycle. This would eliminate the significant disruption at June 15th termination will cause for employers and their employees.

“St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers will do everything possible to ensure that employers and patients who want continued access to the high-quality, cost-effective care provided can do so,” said Robert J. Brody, St. Francis’ president and chief executive officer.