CONTRACT AFFECTS INSURED; BLUE CROSS SUBSCRIBERS WILL PAY MORE AT A.V. HOSPITAL.Byline: Charles F. Bostwick Staff Writer Thousands of Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley residents must switch hospitals or pay more money for treatment since Antelope Valley Hospital ended its contract with Blue Cross of California. Antelope Valley Hospital had been negotiating since February for an increase in the payment it receives for taking care of Blue Cross patients, but it could not come to terms before the contract expired Oct. 1, Chief Executive Officer Matthew Abraham said Wednesday. ``We couldn't afford to continue doing the business we were doing at the rates we were being paid,'' Abraham said. Neither side will talk about how big an increase Antelope Valley Hospital wanted, although a Blue Cross spokeswoman said it was ``substantial.'' Blue Cross still wants to reach an agreement, she said. With the expiration EXPIRATION. Cessation; end. As, the expiration of, a lease, of a contract, or statute. 2. In general, the expiration of a contract puts an end to all the engagements of the parties, except to those which arise from the non- fulfillment of obligations created of Antelope Valley Hospital's contract, Blue Cross members can get treatment at Lancaster Community Hospital This article or section needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third-party publications. Alone, primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject of this article are not sufficient for an accurate encyclopedia article. , Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia, Tehachapi Hospital or, in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. , at Granada Hills Community Hospital, Providence Holy Cross Medical Center Providence Holy Cross Medical Center is a hospital in Mission Hills, California, USA. The hospital has 254 beds, and is part of Providence Health & Services. History or Northridge Hospital Medical Center Northridge Hospital Medical Center is a hospital in the Northridge town of Los Angeles, California, USA. It is currently operated by Catholic Healthcare West. History The hospital was founded in 1955 by Dr. . Pregnant women whose due date is before March 1 can deliver at Antelope Valley Hospital under their former payment rate, as can Blue Cross customers already approved for surgeries or other treatment scheduled through November. For people who still want to use Antelope Valley Hospital, Blue Cross will pay a smaller percentage of the bill than it did before, with the patient making a larger co-payment, officials said. Because of the variety of health-care services offered under Blue Cross' ``Prudent Buyer,'' ``point-of-service'' and California Care HMO HMO health maintenance organization. HMO n. A corporation that is financed by insurance premiums and has member physicians and professional staff who provide curative and preventive medicine within certain financial, plans, Blue Cross spokeswoman Lisa Mee-Stephenson said she was unable to estimate how much higher the co-payments might be at Antelope Valley Hospital. In addition, she said, some medical groups in the California Care HMO have their own contracts with Antelope Valley Hospital. Their patients could continue to get treatment there. For Antelope Valley Union High School District The Antelope Valley Union High School District (A.V.U.H.S.D.) is located in the Antelope Valley area of California, in northern Los Angeles County. The district includes eight public high schools, one trade school, and two continuation high schools in the cities of Palmdale , for example, where more than 700 employees are Blue Cross subscribers, those in Blue Cross' ``Prudent Buyer'' plan will see their co-payment rise from 10 to 30 percent. In addition, they will be billed at standard hospital charges, rather than at reduced rates negotiated by Blue Cross. ``People will pay 30 percent of whatever is billed, rather than 10 percent of a negotiated rate - a big difference,'' said Jill Hilder, risk management technician for the high school district. The change has some people worried, particularly since Antelope Valley Hospital has the only maternity MATERNITY. The state or condition of a mother. 2. It is either legitimate or natural. The former is the condition of the mother who has given birth to legitimate children, while the latter is the condition of her who has given birth to illegitimate children. department or pediatrics ward for 35 miles. ``I hope they get it resolved soon,'' Hilder said. ``We have many people that this will affect.'' At the high school district, the ``open enrollment'' period during which employees can switch health plans just ended Sept. 30. The enrollment period will be reopened to allow Blue Cross members to switch to other health plans. Mee-Stephenson was unable to estimate how many Blue Cross subscribers live in the Antelope Valley. They amount to about 8 to 10 percent of Antelope Valley Hospital's business, Abraham said. Abraham said he does not believe Antelope Valley Hospital will lose all that business. ``Some patients will still want to come here,'' he said. Mee-Stephenson advised Blue Cross subscribers with questions to call the toll-free telephone number A toll-free, Freecall, Freephone, or 800 number is a special telephone number, in that the called party is charged the cost of the calls by the telephone carrier, instead of the calling party. on the back of their identification cards. |
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