Published on October 1, 2024 at 10:48 am
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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.
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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.
