UT Southwestern and Texas Health Resources will no longer be in-network for a specific BCBS plan.

Insurance Network Changes Leave Patients in a Bind

When Brian Nowlin went for his annual check-up earlier this month, a staff member handed him a flyer. It detailed that starting January, his Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas plan would no longer be in-network. It was a surprise—he wasn’t expecting that at all.

“Honestly, I think if I hadn’t gone in for my annual checkup, they might not have told me,” he remarked.

Nowlin is currently signed up for a Blue Advantage HMO plan and also enrolled in another marketplace option set up by the Affordable Care Act.

His insurance will be out of the network of Southwestern Health Resources in 2026. This includes significant health systems in the Dallas-Fort Worth area: Texas Health Resources and UT Southwestern.

For patients like Nowlin, this change translates to the tough decision of either switching insurance plans or finding a new healthcare provider altogether.

Contract Negotiations Underway

Representatives from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and Southwestern Health Resources explained that this change stems from contract negotiations earlier in the year. However, no announcements were made at that time about the upcoming alterations.

In April, there was a significant stall in negotiations that temporarily affected in-network coverage for many North Texans. After some back-and-forth, the two organizations reached an agreement. But when they announced it, neither mentioned that the Blue Advantage plan would face an imminent exit from the network.

Southwestern Health Resources claimed to have entered a new three-year agreement with Blue Cross and Blue Shield, but didn’t highlight specific plans. The insurer, however, did list Blue Advantage HMO as one that would be restored to its network.

According to the insurer’s April announcement, the deal involved a variety of plans, including ParPlan, Blue Choice PPO, and others. The same information was mirrored on their website, which noted a new agreement with Southwestern Health Resources for April 2025.

Yet, the website now also indicates that Southwestern Health Resources has chosen to withdraw from the Blue Advantage HMO network effective January 1, 2026.

Patient Notifications

Both organizations have communicated to affected patients that changes in coverage are forthcoming. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas stated through spokesperson Dawn Kahl that those impacted have been informed. Similarly, Southwestern Health Resources’ representative Kimberly Walton confirmed via email that patients have been advised about the changes.

Nowlin acknowledged he was aware of negotiations earlier but only learned of the specific changes when the flyer was handed to him at the doctor’s office. “I did get notified about the negotiations around March or April, but they never really mentioned… that my connection to the network would end this year,” he said.

Now, he faces the prospect of determining whether to change his healthcare provider or rethink his insurance.

Southwestern Health Resources recently indicated that Marketplace enrollees who wish to keep their current provider in 2026 have options. They can either choose MyBlue Health through Blue Cross and Blue Shield or select plans from Ambetter, excluding “Value” plans.