By Jennifer Marino
Empire, the largest health insurer in New York State, is the insurance company for all village employees, the Rockville Centre school district and many other State and City employees. The contract between the insurance company and the hospitals was scheduled to terminate at 12:01 a.m. on August 10, but negotiations continued and the deadline has been extended to August 20.
The main reason for the contract dispute is reimbursement rates. On the its website, LIHN CEO Terry Hargadon states, We can no longer afford to provide the level of care our patients deserve when an insurer will not sign a contract in which the rising cost of providing healthcare is not taken into account.
If no contract is reached, many covered by Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield will have to change doctors if their current physician is only affiliated with a LIHN hospital.
It's not the best of situations, said Rockville Centre PBA president Frank Marino, adding that he is deeply concerned. Rockville Centre police officers are questioning how the contract termination is going to affect their families, according to Marino.
There is also confusion about how patients who still decide to use the LIHN hospitals will pay. The Rockville Centre school district sent out a letter to explain their insurance coverage and payment methods.
The letter, from Assistant Superintendent Robert Bartels, explains that hospital charges will still be paid in full, but patients may have to pay the hospital themselves and then be reimbursed by Empire. It is also possible that the hospitals may allow patients to wait to receive payment from Empire and then patients can pay the bill with that money. This was also Marino's understanding of the situation. We would become the middle man, he said.
It may cause some inconvenience, but it won't disrupt coverage, said School Board President Meg Koch.
If the contract is not signed, elective surgeries for Empire patients will not be allowed at LIHN hospitals. LIHN has stated that it will continue to treat emergency patients regardless of their insurance carrier or their ability to pay.
If negotiations do not succeed, the four closest hospitals accepting Empire will be Franklin Hospital General Medical Center in Valley Stream, Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach, Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park and North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset.
