Alabama's largest mental health provider, Alabama Psychiatric Services, is closing their doors on February 13. http://ift.tt/1ETpiWr
The statement on their website http://apsy.com/ suggests that Blue Cross is to blame.
I can't find a direct link to their statement but Blue Cross is saying http://ift.tt/1ETpiWv
I have a couple of questions.
1. How can something like this happen? Obviously there's blame on both sides and the ACA is an easy taget but how much of this failure is due to APS and how much is due to BCBS?
2. Will BCBS face any sort of action from the regulators? If a PC carrier sold a policy that offered a reduced deductible (or none) if a particular body shop were used and that body shop went out of business, we'd have to honor to reduced deductible at other body shops or refund premium (for charging for nonexistant coverage.) Is that something that could happen to BCBS?
The statement on their website http://apsy.com/ suggests that Blue Cross is to blame.
Quote:
After over thirty years of service to our clients for their behavioral health needs, APS will be ending services on Friday, February 13, 2015. It has been our privilege to have offered services to our clients across Alabama, and to have been a critical part of the behavioral health service delivery system across our great state. At the request of Blue Cross/Blue Shield, we opened offices throughout Alabama. Unfortunately, due to a decrease in funding from Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Alabama and a change in its model of providing behavioral health, we are not able to continue our mission. We would have liked to have given both our patients and our employees more notice of our closure, but this was not possible under the circumstances. APS is making every effort to provide care and transition patients to other providers and our own providers who join or develop their own practices. APS is cooperating fully with other organizations to facilitate the resolution of this intense period. |
I can't find a direct link to their statement but Blue Cross is saying http://ift.tt/1ETpiWv
Quote:
The many pressures brought on by the Affordable Care Act, mental health parity laws, and the ever-increasing demand for higher quality healthcare at lower costs have affected healthcare providers and insurers. In order to succeed going forward, providers and insurers are having to adapt their business models." |
I have a couple of questions.
1. How can something like this happen? Obviously there's blame on both sides and the ACA is an easy taget but how much of this failure is due to APS and how much is due to BCBS?
2. Will BCBS face any sort of action from the regulators? If a PC carrier sold a policy that offered a reduced deductible (or none) if a particular body shop were used and that body shop went out of business, we'd have to honor to reduced deductible at other body shops or refund premium (for charging for nonexistant coverage.) Is that something that could happen to BCBS?
How much (if any) of this is the insurer's fault?
