Thousands of Georgia patients of Northside Hospital who have Anthem/Blue Cross insurance can still use their insurance after April 15, a Fulton County judge ruled Wednesday. Anthem and Northside are in a contract dispute, and the patients had been expecting to lose their insurance Friday without a court ruling.
If Anthem were allowed to break the contract with Northside, Anthem policyholders who went to Northside hospitals or doctors would no longer have their services there insured as in-network. They would have to pay much higher out-of-pocket costs.
The ruling by Judge Rachelle Carnesale of Fulton County Superior Court isn’t final, but has no end date for the insurance coverage. It allows the dispute between Anthem and Northside to continue, with the patients staying insured in the mean time.
Now, Carnesale ruled, the dispute should go to the state Department of Insurance for a ruling there.
In a press release, Northside said it has “diligently pursued legal remedies in this dispute because of its critical importance to protecting the rights of hundreds of thousands of Georgians. Northside will continue to provide updates to its patients and their families as they develop.”
In its own statement, Anthem called on Northside to end the year-long negotiation for a new agreement. ”Unfortunately, continuing to operate under the current contract will not achieve the affordability or quality improvements we have been seeking, and that our members deserve.”
