(7-17-25) OhioHealth and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield are currently in contract negotiations to ensure OhioHealth remains in-network for Anthem members. Their current contract expires on July 31, 2025, and if an agreement isn’t reached by then, Anthem members may face out-of-pocket costs for services at OhioHealth facilities, including Van Wert.

OhioHealth, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield to negotiate contract by month’s end

WBNS 10TV

From the OhioHealth web site —

Information for patients with Anthem health insurance

At OhioHealth, we understand how important it is to have uninterrupted access to trusted care and the doctors you rely on, and how stressful insurance changes can be.

Please know that we want you to…

…better understand what is going on with Anthem and why this is happening. 

…know everything we are doing about it.

…be engaged, informed, and involved in the conversation. Because health care is personal, and we are committed to making it work for everyone.

What’s happening

We are actively working through negotiations with Anthem to remain in-network for their insurance plans, including yours. Our contract is set to expire on July 31, 2025, and we are working toward a renewal.

Unfortunately, if a new agreement is not finalized by this date, Anthem will designate OhioHealth as an out-of-network provider, effective August 1, 2025. This is not the outcome we want. But without fair solutions from Anthem, we may have no other option.

About the negotiations

We are dealing with two issues with Anthem:

  • First, we believe that Anthem is in breach of our current contract. They are not working with us to resolve over $6 million of claims that are over 60 days old. Anthem continues to deny claims and authorize services that ultimately block care for our patients. These delays can lead to real problems for patients who need timely care and treatment.
  • Second, at the same time, we are in contract renewal negotiations with Anthem. At this time, Anthem and OhioHealth are no more than two percentage points away from finalizing our negotiations. But Anthem is insisting on including language that would make it even more difficult for OhioHealth to be paid for services that it has provided to our patients, and more difficult to obtain prior authorization to provide that care. For OhioHealth, those are key considerations as they are critical to ensure patients have easy and ready access to care, as well as to ensure timely payment to OhioHealth for services rendered. Provisions that make it more difficult to obtain prior authorizations, or to appeal denials create anxiety and frustration not just for OhioHealth, but more importantly, for our patients who are members of Anthem.
  • We have shared with Anthem the investments that OhioHealth is making in our communities, and they are refusing to resolve the contractual issues and would prefer to put their members and our patients in the middle of these negotiations.
  • Anthem is a for-profit, multi-billion-dollar insurance conglomerate that is focused on profitability for their shareholders. OhioHealth is a not-for-profit health care system that continues to invest in the communities that we serve.
  • Still, we remain committed to working with Anthem to reach a fair agreement, but we need them to come to the table with terms and rates that truly support patients and the communities we serve