Under increasing pressure from Gov. Phil Bryant and the state Insurance Department, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi said Monday it would start paying in-network rates at four hospitals whose contracts the insurer had canceled. Mississippi's largest private health insurer said it would resume higher payments to Amory's Gilmore Memorial Regional Medical Center, Clarksdale's Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center, Batesville's Tri-Lakes Medical Center and Flowood's Woman's Hospital. Those are among 10 Mississippi hospitals owned by Health Management Associates of Naples, Fla. The company sued Blue Cross in June for cutting payments without HMA's agreement.
