ER, insurance dispute could impact patients

A contract impasse between Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and the emergency-room doctors at Augusta Health is not close to being resolved and could have a financial impact on area clients of the insurance company after May 1. Anthem says that if there is no contract, it will reimburse its members for a contracted rate. But that rate could be less than what ER physicians charge patients. The president of Shenandoah Emergency Medicine Specialists said the group attempted to renew its contract with Anthem six months ago for a more reasonable rate. Dr. Scott Just said that, after months of negotiation, "it became evident that Anthem had no intention of reaching an acceptable contractual agreement with the group."