Hopkins is dropping CareFirst

[Anonymous]

Just got the email. Sent at 2:22am this morning. These two entities deserve each other.

[Anonymous]

This may not stick. Brinksmanship is common in the negotiations between powerful provider networks and insurers. They are probably contractually required to provide notice, but sending this sort of notice also gives JH significant leverage, as complaints will start pouring into CF. Even if JH actually goes out of network, it may only be for a short time, as the complaints often bring the parties back to the negotiating table. Still, absolutely sucks for patients.

[Anonymous]

Clearly, the biggest problem is that there is no US health system. There are many separate systems not properly regulated, whose purpose is not to provide care (even though many amazing people in these systems are super devoted to patient care -- the "system" isn't built for that). COVID highlighted this x1B. But I shouldn't get started on that or I'll spend my whole workday on this... The painful thing is that the world knows how to fix this problem and many countries did, but, heck, why learn from other countries, we're America, no?

For this letter, Anthem (the insurance company providing BCBS and CareFirst) and Hopkins are giants and will each lose big $$$ if they break the relationship between them. They are now playing chicken for the bargaining. Most likely they'll reach an agreement unless Buzz gets his foot stuck in the car door (“Rebel without a Cause” ref, which I guess reveals my age).

[Anonymous]

Call carefirst and protest.

[Anonymous]

I guess one benefit of not having employer sponsored health insurance and paying through the nose for the health exchange is that my options are pretty broad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Clearly, the biggest problem is that there is no US health system. There are many separate systems not properly regulated, whose purpose is not to provide care (even though many amazing people in these systems are super devoted to patient care -- the "system" isn't built for that). COVID highlighted this x1B. But I shouldn't get started on that or I'll spend my whole workday on this... The painful thing is that the world knows how to fix this problem and many countries did, but, heck, why learn from other countries, we're America, no?

For this letter, Anthem (the insurance company providing BCBS and CareFirst) and Hopkins are giants and will each lose big $$$ if they break the relationship between them. They are now playing chicken for the bargaining. Most likely they'll reach an agreement unless Buzz gets his foot stuck in the car door (“Rebel without a Cause” ref, which I guess reveals my age).

Agree with everything you said. First step would be to not have employer based health insurance IMO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess one benefit of not having employer sponsored health insurance and paying through the nose for the health exchange is that my options are pretty broad.

Haha I posted right after you. I feel the golden handcuffs but especially with health insurance and young kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clearly, the biggest problem is that there is no US health system. There are many separate systems not properly regulated, whose purpose is not to provide care (even though many amazing people in these systems are super devoted to patient care -- the "system" isn't built for that). COVID highlighted this x1B. But I shouldn't get started on that or I'll spend my whole workday on this... The painful thing is that the world knows how to fix this problem and many countries did, but, heck, why learn from other countries, we're America, no?

For this letter, Anthem (the insurance company providing BCBS and CareFirst) and Hopkins are giants and will each lose big $$$ if they break the relationship between them. They are now playing chicken for the bargaining. Most likely they'll reach an agreement unless Buzz gets his foot stuck in the car door (“Rebel without a Cause” ref, which I guess reveals my age).

Agree with everything you said. First step would be to not have employer based health insurance IMO.

x100 OR expand medicare as an option. Economies of scale and purchasing power.

And yes, we need more regulation in the health industry in terms of cost. That is the only way to stop the price gouging and crazy medical bills.

[Anonymous]

So as consumers, do we call CareFirst and press them on this? I’m lucky I can go through DH’s insurance which isn’t CareFirst if they don’t reach and agreement… what are our best options here?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So as consumers, do we call CareFirst and press them on this? I’m lucky I can go through DH’s insurance which isn’t CareFirst if they don’t reach and agreement… what are our best options here?

I am planning on contacting them about it. I can also switch to my husband's health insurance, but I'd rather not. I may as well tell them that I would. Also federal employees, which probably make up a big chunk of their local customers, have a lot of insurance options and can drop them for someone else. Not sure they give a shit but whatever...I'll try.

[Anonymous]

What do we do to best advocate? Call CF? Hopkins? Our employers and ask them to lobby? (MD state employee here) Call reps? Any other ideas?

[Anonymous]

This happened a few years ago with One Medical, which sent a series of emails a lot like this. Eventually they worked it out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do we do to best advocate? Call CF? Hopkins? Our employers and ask them to lobby? (MD state employee here) Call reps? Any other ideas?

Employers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do we do to best advocate? Call CF? Hopkins? Our employers and ask them to lobby? (MD state employee here) Call reps? Any other ideas?

Employers.

I think so. If HR gets enough heat I assume they have to talk to CF about maybe dropping them. But really employer insurance is such a black hole that i don’t really get it and don’t know what goes on ( and I bet they do it that way on purpose)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So as consumers, do we call CareFirst and press them on this? I’m lucky I can go through DH’s insurance which isn’t CareFirst if they don’t reach and agreement… what are our best options here?

I am planning on contacting them about it. I can also switch to my husband's health insurance, but I'd rather not. I may as well tell them that I would. Also federal employees, which probably make up a big chunk of their local customers, have a lot of insurance options and can drop them for someone else. Not sure they give a shit but whatever...I'll try.

The weird thing about this is that I would think the set of people that would actually drop BCBS insurance over Hopkins would be money-losers (as a group) for BCBS. It seems like they’d have a financial incentive to encourage those people to switch to different insurance companies.