Kalamazoo Residents Face Potential Loss of Insurance Coverage
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Around 30,000 individuals with United insurance in the Kalamazoo region depend on Bronson Healthcare for their medical needs. If current negotiations between health systems and insurance providers don’t progress soon, they might lose in-network coverage.
By January 1st, many patients may find their doctors classified as out of network.
Ryan Horn, the senior vice president and chief revenue officer at Bronson Healthcare, stated, “We’re not taking this lightly. We recognize the large impact on patients, but it’s crucial for United to join the discussions.”
He encouraged United Healthcare patients to reach out to their insurance companies to grasp their out-of-network benefits, in case changes occur.
Bronson Healthcare has reported a significant rise in medical costs over the last three years since their last agreement was made. “Everything’s gone up—labor, supplies, medications. Honestly, nothing is cheaper than it was three years ago,” Horn added.
Dustin Hinton, the CEO of United Healthcare, mentioned, “We’re currently engaged in fruitful, good faith negotiations with Bronson. Our primary goal is to make the best use of the remaining contract time to come to a fair agreement for consumers and employers while ensuring uninterrupted access to the healthcare system.”
Both organizations express a commitment to reaching a resolution that prioritizes public health.
“Negotiations like these are common in this industry. The expected outcomes are always shifting,” Horn explained. “We’re optimistic that United will return to the negotiating table and resolve this soon.”
Plans affected could include employer-sponsored individual plans, individual commercial plans, Medicare Advantage, group retirement plans, dual special needs plans, and United’s community plans in Michigan.
Bronson clarified that only commercial insurance plans would be impacted, adding that, unless stated otherwise, traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage, or Medicaid coverage would remain unchanged.
According to United Healthcare, the affected hospitals include:
- Bronson Methodist Hospital
- Bronson Battle Creek Hospital
- Bronson Lakeview Hospital
- Bronson South Haven Hospital
Bronson has provided additional information for those enrolled in United Healthcare.
