BlueCare’s Impending Exit from Middle Tennessee Leaving Many TennCare Patients Without Doctors
As BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee prepares to cut its TennCare beneficiary enrollment in half and withdraw from West and Middle Tennessee although remaining in the program overall, 200,000 beneficiaries in Middle Tennessee are looking for new health plans and even new doctors, the Nashville Tennessean reports. Some doctors, such as those in Heritage Medical Associates, have chosen not to participate in any of the four TennCare plans that will be available in Middle Tennessee. Three Heritage Medical pediatricians will remain in the VHP Community Care plan in Davidson County, but 30 other physicians will not participate in any TennCare plan. As a result, many patients find "themselves in a merry-go-round search for new doctors who best meet their needs," the Tennessean reports. Beneficiaries in Middle Tennessee have until April 30 to choose a new plan, including Xantus Health Plan, Access MedPLUS or Universal Care while only Davidson County residents may select VHP. Heritage Medical CEO Mark Grasela said, "It was an extremely hard decision. We really regret some of the inconvenience this has caused the patients." Instead of switching doctors, some TennCare beneficiaries have chosen to drop out of TennCare and enroll in private insurance plans, including those offered through their spouses' employers, the Tennessean reports. Grasela said, "TennCare may have been picking up the bill for people who had access to other insurance" (Snyder, Nashville Tennessean, 4/16).
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