Aetna, St. Joseph's Contract Talks at Impasse

Aetna corporate headquarters in Hartford, Connecticut, USA

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Aetna and Saint Joseph's Health are currently at a standstill in their contract negotiations, with a looming deadline of January 1, 2025. If no agreement is reached, thousands of Central New Yorkers could face disruptions in their in-network hospital and doctor services. Aetna claims that Saint Joseph's demands for increased service costs are unreasonable, while Saint Joseph's argues it seeks a fair agreement that reflects the true cost of delivering quality healthcare.

The ongoing negotiations are further complicated by the impact of inflation, which has significantly raised the cost of providing care. Meredith Price, senior vice president of acute operations at Saint Joseph's, emphasized, "Our goal is to come to a fair agreement that covers the true cost of what it takes to deliver quality health care" according to WSYR.

Aetna's External Affairs Team Member Phillip J. Blando expressed hope for a resolution, stating, "We are hopeful that we will reach an agreement that keeps them in our networks while keeping health care services affordable for our members and health plan sponsors." If the contract is not renewed, patients may face higher costs or need to find new providers.

Saint Joseph's Health advises Aetna-insured patients with procedures scheduled after January 1 to contact their providers to potentially reschedule before the deadline. For more information, patients can call Saint Joseph's patient line at (315) 314-2552.


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