Empire coverage resumes Sept. 1
War or words follows announcement of deal with HealthAlliance
The end is in sight for the lengthy impasse between HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley and Empire BlueCross Blue Shield, but the war of words shows no signs of easing.
The deal under which Empire BlueCross BlueShield clients will again be covered for inpatient services at the two HealthAlliance hospitals in Kingston will take effect Sept. 1, according to the insurer and Westchester Medical Center Health Network, the parent company of HealthAlliance. That coverage stopped on May 31, 2016, when the last contract between the sides expired.
The deal first was announced Monday evening by Ulster County Executive Michael Hein, who has been vocal in calling for the matter to be resolved. On Tuesday, state Assemblyman Kevin Cahill said a lack of local leadership in resolving the dispute “extended the stalemate.”
A press release issued by Cahill’s office cited “the failure of other local leaders to fight as aggressively for a resolution, as Assemblyman Cahill did .... ”
“While issuing several public statements expressing the
demands of the people of our community to rectify the situation, I also tried, often without result, to impress upon other local government officials the importance of joining me in this fight,” Cahill, D-Kingston, said in the release.
Cahill did not single out a specific local official, but Hein, a Democrat who often is at odds with the assemblyman, has been the most outspoken elected leader in the area regarding the Health-Alliance-Empire matter.
“It is unclear about whom Mr. Cahill is speaking,” Hein said Tuesday. “That said, at no point
through this entire process has he spoken to me.”
Westchester Medical Center Health Network and Empire BlueCross BlueShield both confirmed the deal on Tuesday, but neither provided details about it. A joint statement from the two companies referred to the deal as a “multiyear agreement” but did not say how long it will be in effect.
Hein said Westchester Medical President and CEO Michael Israel told him the details of the deal are to be worked out over the next two weeks. Once that happens, the two HealthAlliance hospitals in Kingston once again will be considered “in network” for Empire BlueCross BlueShield members.
Kingston Mayor Steve
Noble said he looks “forward to reviewing more of the details of this agreement when they become publicly available.”
“HealthAlliance is a key partner in our community, and I know that our residents, as well as the 150 city of Kingston employees currently enrolled with Empire BlueCross BlueShield, are looking forward to being able to easily access HealthAlliance facilities again in the near future,” Noble said Tuesday.
Ulster County employees also have Empire BlueCross BlueShield as their health insurance provider.
Noble declined to comment Cahill’s statement.
“My focus remains on working with all partners to address the needs
of our community,” the mayor said. “This preliminary agreement is an excellent step forward, and I want to thank everyone who worked toward this process.”
Since the last HealthAlliance-Empire contract expired 14 months ago, local Empire clients needing inpatient services had to go to a hospital outside of Kingston in order for the insurer to cover their costs. Empire, though, continued to cover its customers’ emergency medical treatment costs at HealthAlliance’s Kingston hospitals during the dispute.
The dispute ultimately ended up in court, and it was during that process that the sides agreed to the mediation that resolved the matter.