With just hours to spare, Baptist Health and Florida Blue reached an agreement early Tuesday in a dispute affecting health care for thousands of people in Northeast Florida.

The agreement means as many as 50,000 residents will be able to continue to use Baptist as an in-network provider for the foreseeable future.

Their network coverage would have ended at midnight without an agreement.

Northeast Florida’s largest health care system and its largest health insurance provider spent months negotiating a contract that would outline how much Florida Blue reimburses Baptist for health costs.

Health care costs have increased across the country since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic.

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An analysis in July from health care consulting firm Kaufman Hall found that labor and non-labor costs for hospitals across the country have increased 19% since 2021. Prescription drugs and supplies have increased 21% and 22% respectively in that time.