When their contract expired at the end of September, 2010, insurance giant Aetna and Merit Mountainside Hospital in Glen Ridge were at an impasse regarding reimbursement for the treatment of patients with Aetna coverage.
Mountainside claimed that the insurer refused to offer the community hospital market-rate reimbursement for patient services. Aetna contended that “not only is our offer to [Montainside] fair, but in today’s environment, it is also reasonable and realistic.”
The businesses entered a period of further negotiations, but patients were advised that beyond emergency care, they should seek treatment elsewhere.
Now, an announcement from Mountainside indicates that the companies have reached an interim agreement that provides for the hospital’s participation in the Aetna network for all members. This agreement, which became effective February 1, means that Aetna members can receive care from Mountainside Hospital and associated physicians at the preferred, in-network benefit level.
The interim agreement continues until May 1, 2011, allowing both parties to finalize contract terms with a shared goal of reaching a new three year agreement.
If you’re an Aetna subscriber and needed hospitalization during this black-out period, where did you go instead and how did you fare?
Handshake graphic from Wikipedia.
I recently had occasion to utilize Mountainside Hospital. They were all very nice there and the entire operation seemed both well-run and scrupulously clean.
(Food was still pretty awful, though.)