HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — In last-minute negotiations, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and Mid-Atlantic Women’s Care came to an agreement Monday, saving thousand of women in Hampton Roads from having to find another OBGYN physician.
July 31 was the last day of negotiations between Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and Mid-Atlantic Women’s Care.
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A representative for Anthem told News 3 Monday morning that there were still active negotiations between the two parties.
The following statement was sent Monday afternoon shortly before 1 p.m.:
"Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia and Mid-Atlantic Women’s Care are actively negotiating an agreement to continue providing obstetrics and gynecology support for more than 35,000 Anthem members across the Commonwealth of Virginia. Both parties hope to avoid care disruption for these women and continue to provide access to these practices in accordance with our contract."
In a previous statement sent last week, Anthem wrote:
"Mid Atlantic Women’s Care (MAWC) has chosen to leave Anthem’s care provider network on August 1, 2023, unless we agree to significant rate increases. We will work continuously to ensure our members have access to quality healthcare providers across the Commonwealth. We remain committed to working toward an agreement that maintains our members’ access to affordable care at MAWC. We believe doctors and practices should be paid fairly for their services and that has been reflected in our offers to MAWC. For Anthem, this negotiation is about enhancing quality and protecting affordability for the people and businesses we serve."
Mid-Atlantic Women’s Care has not commented.
Mid-Atlantic Women’s Care consists of 18 medical groups listed here:
- Center for Women’s Health
- Chesapeake Women’s Care
- Complete Women’s Care
- Gynecology Specialists
- Harrisonburg OBGYN
- Mid-Atlantic Imaging Centers
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Associates of Hampton
- Peninsula Women’s Care
- Physicians to Women, Inc.
- Specialists for Women
- The Group for Women
- Tidewater Physicians for Women
- Total Care for Women (Chesapeake Office)
- Virginia Beach Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Virginia Center for Women
- West End Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Williamsburg Obstetrics & Gynecology
- WomanCare Centers
MAWC sent information to patients in June letting them know about the potential change. That news sparked quite a response online with patients who have been seeing their doctor for decades, concerned about finding a new physician.Caitlin Donovan, the senior director for the National Patient Advocacy Foundation wants to remind women that in this type of scenario, patients have quite a few rights under the No Surprises Act.
In a letter sent Monday to MAWC staff, it stated that the agreement is for another three years.
For patients, Anthem says, this means they can remain in-network without any disruption in care.
