Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield continues negotiations with OhioHealth Health System
As we shared with the University last month, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, which administers Ohio’s health insurance plans, has informed the University that they are currently working to reach a new multi-year contract to ensure the various health care locations and services provided by the OhioHealth Health System – including O’Bleness Hospital, Riverside Methodist Hospital and the Grant Medical Center – remain in Anthem’s employer-sponsored health plans network after July 31, 2025.
As part of the University’s ongoing efforts to ensure our employees remain informed and prepared as necessary, Human Resources has developed an informational website that contains specific information for University employees, including answers to many of the frequently asked questions received by our Benefits Office. We will continue to update this page to ensure employees remain informed of the situation and their options in the event an agreement is not reached by July 31.
Both Anthem and OhioHealth have informed the University that they are continuing to engage in conversations; while their collective timeline for a potential agreement remains unclear at this moment, we recently received positive news that many employees and dependents who have received treatment for certain serious health conditions three or more times in the last six months from the same OhioHealth provider will automatically have their in-network benefits for care, specific to that condition with that OhioHealth provider, extended for up to 90 days beyond the July 31 deadline.
In accordance with their contract with the University, Anthem plans to soon share a message with all individuals who will be eligible for this Continuity of Care process. Additionally, Anthem will update all individuals covered by our plans who have utilized OhioHealth in the past 12 months (but not three or more times in the last six months) to make them aware that OhioHealth could become an out-of-network provider after July 31.
If you are currently receiving treatment for a serious health condition through the OhioHealth Health System and do not receive a Continuation of Care letter, or you have questions regarding how your care could potentially be impacted after July 31, 2025, we encourage you to contact the Anthem Member Service Center via the number on your Anthem ID card.
For specific employee benefits questions at OHIO, please email the Benefits Office at benefits@ohio.edu or contact Human Resources at 740.593.1636.