Syracuse, New York — Excellus BlueCross BlueShield and St. Joseph's Health have reached a multi-year contractual agreement, effective Wednesday, January 1, 2025, that will keep St. Joseph's Health in the Excellus BCBS provider network.
A spokesperson for St. Joseph's Health confirmed the agreement with CNY Central late Tuesday night. The following statement was provided:
St. Joseph's Health and Excellus BCBS are pleased to have reached an agreement that will ensure patients receive quality care at the most affordable price possible while St. Joseph's Health remains in the Excellus BCBS network. Excellus BCBS members can continue to seek care from St. Joseph's Health without interruption.
CNY Central sheds light on the multibillion-dollar dispute between Trinity Health and Excellus that has patients caught in the middle.
Starting in September, St. Joseph's Health patients began receiving letters explaining that they were at high risk of losing their Excelus coverage in 2025. In the letter, Stephen Hanks, president and CEO of St. Joseph's Health, informed patients that Excelus frequently denies them enrollment. has billed and delayed payments and is asking Excellus to “pay fairly for the care we provide.”
For now, the two countries appeared to be on the brink of not reaching a new agreement, with some patients deciding to change insurance companies during the open enrollment period, which runs until the end of 2024.
In recent weeks, the deal appears to be moving in the right direction, with both companies agreeing to an extension until the end of February.
