MCDH, Blue Cross agree on contract terms

12/6/04

Mendocino Coast District Hospital is pleased to announce that it has reached agreement on terms to renew its contract with Blue Cross of California.  The tentative agreement includes a contract start date of December 1, 2004, and will be effective for three years. 

Subscribers to Blue Cross will therefore receive continual coverage for services sought at MCDH, with no gap in coverage as the contract is renewed.

The original contract end date was December 10, 2004, but because the tentative new agreement will be effective December 1, 2004, Blue Cross subscribers should not notice any change during the transition to the new contract.

The agreement between MCDH and Blue Cross is tentative pending approval by the MCDH Board of Directors, anticipated at its December 16, 2004 regular board meeting. 

“Blue Cross considered our unique needs and challenges as a small, rural hospital,” said Chief Financial Officer Jacob Lewis.  “Terms of the agreement are supportive of the hospital’s mission and complementary to our financial recovery plan of the past five years,” he added.

The many calls and letters received by Blue Cross from concerned community members made an impression on Blue Cross, explained MCDH CEO Bryan Ballard.

“The overwhelming show of support from our community definitely played a role in our success,” Ballard said.  He added, “I want to thank our community for its support and willingness to express its concerns to Blue Cross.”

The successfully renewed contract with Blue Cross is a critical component of the hospital’s overall plan for long-term financial health, and helps to ensure that MCDH will be able to continue providing high quality health care in our community.

It’s business as usual at the hospital for participants in Blue Cross health plans, who can rest assured that the Blue Cross contract is being renewed for a three-year period.