A struggle between Northeast Florida’s largest health care system and its largest health insurance provider has left tens of thousands of people with uncertainty about their future health care.
The three-year hospital-insurer agreement between Baptist Health and Florida Blue will expire Sept. 30. If the two do not come to a new agreement, as many as 50,000 people will be forced to find medical solutions or pay for out-of-network costs to use certain Baptist facilities, physicians or services.
Executives from both nonprofits tell Jacksonville Today they want to end the impasse. Both express hope that it will be done by the end of September.
Nevertheless, that did not stop Baptist from accusing Florida Blue of making false accusations in a message to patients Saturday. Nor has it prevented Florida Blue leaders from accusing Baptist of not negotiating in good faith.
Further, Baptist has a landing page on its website detailing the negotiations from its perspective. Florida Blue also established a landing page and has sent direct mail to its membership outlining what may happen Oct. 1 as it is required to do by Florida law.