After greater than a yr of talks, NorthBay Well being and Partnership HealthPlan California have reached a tentative settlement on a brand new contract, the Solano County well being care system introduced Tuesday.
NorthBay had been working underneath the identical contract with Medi-Cal plan administrator Partnership since 2016. Talks started 18 months in the past to renegotiate and safe a brand new contract. After these “casual efforts,” the well being care system mentioned it will terminate the connection on Nov. 30 if a greater deal couldn’t be reached.
Particulars concerning the new contract and concerning the dispute weren’t instantly obtainable. The Every day Republic in Solano County reported the 2 events differed over reimbursement charges the well being care supplier would obtain from Partnership.
Partnership is a nonprofit community-based well being care group that contracts with the state to manage Medi-Cal advantages to roughly 660,000 Medi-Cal members, based on the group. Primarily based in Solano County, it offers providers to 14 Northern California counties, together with the six-county North Bay space.
NorthBay Well being cares for 7,700 Partnership sufferers by means of its major care providers in Vacaville, Fairfield and Inexperienced Valley. One other 68,000 are assigned to NorthBay Well being hospitals, within the occasion they want hospital providers, the press launch acknowledged.
“It is vital that we obtain truthful and equitable charges for the providers we offer in order that we are able to proceed to maintain our group,” B. Konard Jones, president and CEO of NorthBay Well being, acknowledged within the launch.
In an Oct. 27 press launch concerning the potential contract termination with NorthBay, Partnership CEO Elizabeth Gibboney acknowledged that “NorthBay was instrumental within the group of Partnership in 1994 and has been a beneficial associate in caring for our members, and we hope to keep up that relationship.”
Jones mentioned it was unlucky that each events precipitated what turned out to be pointless misery for his or her sufferers, however that such notification is required by the state.
“We’re grateful that either side labored exhausting to resolve the state of affairs earlier than the vacations,” Jones acknowledged.
In its launch, NorthBay mentioned it reported in July that it was “going through monetary problem within the wake of the worldwide pandemic, rising labor prices and a troubled economic system.” Additional, NorthBay mentioned it began engaged on a $100 million funds restoration plan, which included workforce reductions and a discount in providers.
“Reaching a positive contract with Partnership was considered one of our key initiatives to regain our monetary stability,” defined Jones. “We nonetheless have work to do, however we’re considerably nearer with this achievement.”
