JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida Blue and Baptist Health reached a new contract agreement hours before the Monday night deadline that would have caused the hospital to be considered out-of-network for some 600,000 Florida Blue customers across the region.
The two sides released a joint statement late Monday night:
Baptist Health Jacksonville and Florida Blue reached a new multi-year agreement which ensures that thousands of Florida Blue members will retain their access to the Baptist Health and Wolfson Children’s Hospital physicians and facilities.
We are pleased that our new agreement will limit disruption and bring peace of mind to many individuals and families in the Jacksonville community.
We look forward to fulfilling our shared commitment to deliver high-quality, affordable health care as we have done together for more than half a century.
The Sept. 30 deadline had been looming for weeks as patients anxiously waited to learn if Florida Blue and Baptist Health would be able to negotiate a deal.
The sides had been at it for eight months, going back and forth over who was failing to compromise.
Just days ago, Baptist Health said Florida Blue asked for a 30-day extension of the previous agreement, but the hospital group refused, saying it remained “ready to negotiate” by the original deadline.
Now, it appears, the two sides are on the same page, but what exactly is on that page and how it will financially impact Florida Blue patients is yet to be seen.
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan shared her relief in a social media post. Florida Blue is the insurer for thousands of city employees.
Thousands of city employees and tens of thousands of families will continue to have affordable and accessible healthcare today because of the agreement that was reached by Florida Blue and Baptist Health. We are thrilled that two of our largest employers came together for the…
— Mayor Donna Deegan (@MayorDeegan) October 1, 2024