Central Ohioans – & all Americans – deserve better than an 11th hour notice of standoff negotiations that are about increasing the bottom line of health insurance companies and healthcare systems. We deserve secure, fair healthcare contracts that put the health and well-being of people first.

With the Anthem-OSU contract expiring soon, the immediate need is for Anthem & OSU to be held accountable to its consumers over its shareholders.

In the long term, we need a drastic overhaul of our current healthcare system in favor of a single-payer healthcare system. Members of Congress have spotlighted these concerns by sponsoring ‘Medicare for All’ bills that would eliminate deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments for covered services.

The contract disputes between health insurance companies and hospital systems create anxiety & vulnerability when consumers should be guaranteed a sense of security once they have elected a health insurance plan.

This is a huge blow to Anthem members who will have fewer choices. These contract non-renewals do not count as a qualifying event for changing insurance plans - but they should.

If Anthem drops OSU as an in-network provider, this will impact up to 100,000 Anthem members who have used OSU services in the last 2 yrs. Current Anthem members are at risk of needing to pay out-of-network costs for OSU services or switch to different providers who are in-network.

As Anthem and OSU negotiate over contract terms that are essentially about who gets more profits, it is their members and patients who will ultimately feel the pain of the outcome, whether it be higher in-network costs or even higher out-of-network expenses.

In June 2024, Anthem made record profits, with a 24% increase in its year-over-year net profit margin. Also in June, OSU’s revenue increased by 11% while expenses were down 10% from the previous year.

Anthem & OSU claim that the other party is at fault. Anthem maintains that OSU is proposing drastic price increases while OSU disputes that Anthem has historically underpaid them.

These include OSU dropping Anthem Medicare Advantage members and a possible contract lapse between Aetna and the Mount Carmel Health System in the new year.

OSU’s health system may no longer be in network for Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield members starting Jan 1, 2025. This is the latest in a spate of disagreements btwn health insurance companies & hospital systems that jeopardize the healthcare of Central Ohioans.