Anthem-MU Health Care Disconnect Continues

A hearing at the Missouri Capitol yesterday, held by the Senate’s Insurance and Banking Committee, gave representatives from both University of Missouri Health Care and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield a chance to speak about the current dispute that leaves over 90,000 patients previously covered by Anthem in health care limbo.

How much, if any, progress was made remains to be determined.

The dispute revolves around reimbursement rates. The two sides failed to reach a deal by April 1, and have lobbied shots across each others bow since. MU Health Care requested a steep rate increase in the rates it receives from Anthem for services, citing inflation and rising operational costs. MU claims that in the last three years their total operating expenses have increased about seven percent a year.

Anthem argued that the increase MU is demanding is too steep and would ultimately drive up costs for consumers.

Despite the rise in costs, MU Health Care showed a profit of over $50 million in its financial report for the second half of its previous fiscal year, a window that was covered by Anthem for the majority of the report.

On the other hand is Anthem, an 87-billion dollar corporation.

No word on when the two sides might return to the negotiating table.

90,000 patients wait for a resolution.