Declining health outcomes in rural Missouri could get even worse if University of Missouri Health Care and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield can’t agree soon on higher reimbursement rates for patient care.
Anthem Inc., now known as Elevance Health, is one of the nation’s largest for-profit health insurers.
Information obtained by The Heartlander indicates President and CEO Gail Boudreaux earns nearly $21 million in total compensation. The chief financial officer earns $7.6 million in total compensation, while three other top executives take in $6.4 million each in salary, stocks and incentives.
Anthem, in particular, has been on a public relations blitz to convince patients via op-eds – and state officials, through ominous mass emails – that MU Health is being unreasonable in seeking higher reimbursement rates for care.
But the stakes in this dispute are vastly different for each entity. Without an increase in patient care reimbursement rates from Anthem, either:
- MU Health patients receive less care
- taxpayers will have to pay more
- or Anthem simply makes less profit
For his part, Chief Medical Officer for MU Health Care Dr. Stevan Whitt writes in an op-ed that Anthem “is unwilling to commit to contractual changes that prioritize patient access, alleviate unnecessary administrative burdens and pay MU Health Care rates that cover the increased costs of providing care due to inflation and other market pressures.”
Whitt warns that, with 10 rural hospitals having already closed since 2012, “Our country’s rural communities are becoming increasingly vulnerable as access to care options dwindle.
“We see it in our patients – more frequent occurrences of serious and chronic conditions, increasingly common struggles with prescription drug coverage, higher instances of mental health challenges and so much more.”
In addition, unreimbursed costs at state-run MU Health could put a squeeze not only on patients but on taxpayers.
Meanwhile, op-eds in several news outlets by Anthem-Missouri President Stephanie Vojicic pointedly blame the health care providers at MU Health.
“Despite claiming to want to ‘put patients first,’” Vojicic writes, “MU Health Care has chosen to initiate the termination of our existing agreement and request a 39% price increase over the next three years for Anthem members across employer-sponsored and individual plans.
“Such demands – which equate to more than four times the current rate of inflation – are not only unprecedented, but also unsustainable for Missouri consumers and employers.”
The deadline for the agreement is March 31. Otherwise, Anthem patients are likely to find MU Health facilities in Columbia and throughout central Missouri to be “out of network,” meaning they’ll pay significantly higher prices for care.
“MU Health Care is seeking to impose a $132 million burden on central Missouri over the next three years,” Vojicic writes. “That means consumers would face significantly higher co-pays and out-of-pocket expenses.”
Counters MU Health’s Whitt:
“Anthem has not demonstrated the sense of urgency needed to resolve the underlying issues impacting our patients, clinicians and health system. …
“Our communities are counting on us. We ask that Anthem work with us to reach an agreement that puts patients first.”
